Unforeseen Romance
by Lady Sapphire
Summary: Kai is sent on an impossible mission by his Grandfather. The cost of failure: his bitbeast... Knowing that failure was inevitable, he wanders off alone, and meets a certain pinkhaired girl, who shows him that nothing is impossible, not even love.
1. Mission Impossible

Unforeseen Romance   
By: Lady Sapphire 

Author's Notes: Hello! I just had to try my hand at a Beyblade fanfic. I analyzed the possibilities of couples. The most evident couple is, of course, Ray and Mariah (Sorry, the English names are what I'm used to!) and they are by far my favourite. But then I started thinking of other relationships and I came up with: Kai and Mariah! Don't ask me how or why. I know, I know, they hardly even _know_ each other, but I still think it could work if only they would have spent a little more time together. Which is what I plan to do in this story… 

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade. Or anything relating to Beyblade. Though I wouldn't mind owning Ray…^_^ 

Chapter 1: Mission Impossible

"Master Kai, where are you going?" questioned the old butler, as the scowling blue-haired young man grabbed his coat and opened the door to leave. 

"That's none of your business," he simply retorted, "Tell Grandfather that I will be back before supper." He didn't even wait for a reply or farewell. In one quick motion, the door was swept open, and then he was gone, letting the door slam behind him. 

"Very well…" murmured the butler, replacing the lock. He knew better than to talk back to the young Master. Everyone knew it was best not to anger Master Kai, for he was stubborn, and can be very cold and disagreeable when displeased. In fact, the Hiwatari family has had a reputation for being cold-hearted, ruthless, and will stop at nothing to achieve their objectives. But, of course, no one would dare speak of this, not if they wanted to keep their jobs. And with the Hiwatari family being one of the richest, no one could afford to get on their bad side. 

Taking a sigh, the butler turned to seek out the Master to inform him of his grandson's absence. 

  
*~*~*

Kai trudged through a long and relentless road. The late afternoon breeze brushed across his face and hair, ruffling it from it's neatly combed place, ever so slightly. His usual scarf-like piece of attire fluttered through the wind behind him. The blue-haired boy stuffed his hands into his pockets and rested a scowl upon his usual emotionless face. His mind drifted away with the wind, overwhelmed with thoughts. Thoughts of his grandfather's orders… He couldn't stand it anymore; he had to get away, as far away as possible. He quickened his step and soon came to a part of the road, where the path diverged to a narrow trail leading into a lush, thick forest. When he was young, he would often ride his bike up to this forest and just lie beneath the trees, doing nothing. It was great; there were no worries, no cares, just the serene peacefulness of nature. It was his sanctuary from the real world…and from his grandfather's demanding missions. 

The first thing he sought out, upon entering, was a giant oak tree that he had claimed his own ever since he was young. Sitting down beneath its towering branches, he could feel himself calm down as his head cleared, allowing him to analyze the situation. 

"How could he expect me to commit myself to something like that? I'm only 17, for God's sake!" he growled out loud, unaware of the fact that he was talking to himself. He clenched his fists and smacked the ground, hard. Closing his eyes, he recalled the conversation between his grandfather and himself… 

_    *flashback begins*
_

"Kai, my dear grandson, you have always been my most obedient messenger. Never have you failed me before and I expect the same results with this new task that I am about to give you," announced Kai's grandfather sternly. There was no humour in his eyes. His monotonous expression always seemed to send chills down Kai's spine. 

"Yes, Grandfather," replied the young teen. He hated when he talked like that. It was like he was some kind of tool that he could just use and then throw away. He never did show the slightest emotion that he cared for his grandson, like a grandfather should. 

"Excellent," he said and turned to face the other way. "Kai, do you remember the time when I first presented you with Dranzer? You were only seven, but the look on your face was of pure innocence," he said, almost sounding wistful. 

Kai stared at floor. Of course he remembered the day he first received his Beyblade, it had been the best day of his life. But, the question was, why was Grandfather bringing it up now? 

"Dranzer has been in our family for generations, and now that it is in your possession, you must carry on this tradition…" he informed his grandson. 

Kai's face paled. Whatever could he have meant by that? "I don't understand…" he responded hesitatingly, with a frown. 

His grandfather turned to face Kai, and continued to explain. "You aren't a child anymore, Kai. You've grown into a young man now, and it is your responsibility to produce heirs to this family. I'm not getting any younger, and I wish to hold my great grandchildren before I pass on. Since you are my only grandson, this task is yours to bare." 

The stoic boy nearly fainted. He could hardly breathe. Was his next mission really to do what he thought he heard? It took a minute or two to finally process this profound thought, but when he finally did, he argued, "But, Grandfather, I'm only seventeen!" 

The old man shook his head sternly. "I've put a lot of thought into this and I've decided that you are old enough and that this will be your next task. By the next full moon, you will have found a wife and be wed." 

Kai scowled at this. "And…if I should happen to fail?" he questioned, with a tinge of humour in his tone. 

The expression on his Grandfather's face changed from serious to dead serious. He did not return his humour. "This is one mission you cannot afford to fail, because if you do, you will have forsaken the Hiwatari family. Everything you own now will be stripped from your possession," he said gravely. "Including Dranzer…" 

  
    *flashback ends*

Kai's eyes fluttered open, as he escaped that horrid experience he had gone through today. He still couldn't believe the objective of his next mission. It was simply mind-boggling. The thought hadn't even crossed his mind. 

'Why would Grandfather set me up with such an unimaginable task? Is he testing me? To see how I would measure up in a task not related to my strengths in Beyblading?' he wondered to himself in frustration. 

'This is crazy. I don't know the first thing about women, and he expects me to court them? What the heck is his problem?' he thought, the anger inside of him began boiling up. Nonetheless, he was his Grandfather, and no matter what, he would never disappoint his Grandfather. 

He reached in his pocket and pulled out the blue Beyblade and wrapped his fingers around it. It glowed for a brief second, radiating heat, as if showing empathy towards its owner. 'Dranzer, I would never give you up,' he told the bit-beast with determination. The fate of Dranzer depended on him and the thought of the possibility of losing the Red Phoenix was unbearable. Dranzer was his friend. 

Tightening his fists, he stroked the ground again with all his strength, willing it to open up and swallow him up, but to no avail. He was still sitting on the ground, with the burden of an impossible task. He laid his head down on the ground and closed his eyes to help him concentrate on the best approach to this mission. 

Little did he know, the answer was just around the corner… 

  
*~*~*

Author's Notes: Hope you're enjoying it so far...bet you can't guess who I was referring to in that last sentence! I'll give you a hint, the second main character will be introduce next chapter! ^_~ Please tell me what you think of it so far! 


	2. Over the Edge

Unforeseen Romance   
By: Lady Sapphire 

Author's Notes: Just a quick little note, there are some stuff here that I made up, since I haven't finished watching the entire series. So just in case something sounds a bit, erm, incorrect, that is my reason. Oh, and Kai/Mariah is a fan couple, made up by fans. It is not official. Now on to the long awaited chapter... 

Disclaimer: Beyblade is not mine. *sobs* :( 

Chapter 2: Over the Edge

It was faint at first, but then it grew louder: a noise that sounded very familiar. Kai opened his eyes and concentrated on the sound. It sounded like metal scraping across stone. There was no doubt about it; he would know that sound anywhere. It was the sound of a spinning Beyblade, a sound he had known all his life. 

'Who could be Beyblading here?' he wondered to himself, frowning that he was no longer alone. Deciding to investigate the intruder, he got up, brushed himself off, and headed towards the direction of the scrapping sound. 

  
*~*~*

"Attack!" cried out Mariah, as the pink Beyblade crashed against some rocks, sparks flying as it chipped away the granite. Although she was out practicing with her Beyblade, her heart wasn't completely into the sport. She too, had matters on her mind, unavoidable matters that just didn't seem to go away. 

She had stumbled into this isolated forest by accident. Thinking that it would be a nice quiet place to contemplate and train, she decided to stay. She had to get away from the pressure of the team. 

'Lee said that if I don't shape up for next year's tournament, he would replace me with Kevin!' she grimaced at the thought. Beyblading was her greatest passion and to be kicked off the team would be a major disappointment. 

'He still thinks that I lost to Ray in the Asian tournament on purpose! Why would I lose on purpose?!' she thought angrily. 'And when I try to convince him that Ray is not a traitor, he just brushes it off saying that this was not about Ray, but rather the reputation of the White Tigers.' All he cared about was being the best. 

She sighed. 'I miss Ray. He would always help me train when we were young. He never gave up hope on me, no matter how bad I was. And when I was down, he would always be at my side,' she smiled at the old times, wishing for her memories to become real. 'But, ever since he and his team won the world championships, he never has any time for me. He is always out on some tour.' 

She shook her head. 'No, I should be happy for Ray. I always knew he would become a champion. He truly is the best beyblader I've ever known,' she told herself. Pushing her thoughts of Ray out of her mind, she concentrated on the rotating top. 

"Galux, scratch attack!" she called out to the spinning blade, but before the bit beast could appear, another blade came flying out of nowhere, crashing into hers and knocking it out. Mariah, surprised at what just happened, caught Galux as it flew away from the force of a blue Beyblade. She glanced at the direction from where it was launched and gasped. 

"You? You're…" she struggled to remember the name, "…Kai, right? What did you do that for?" she yelled. How dare he launch his blade like that without any warning? 

Kai stepped forward from the shadows from where had had been hiding and observing her. He knew that she wasn't focused, since any conscious person would have heard the rustling of the bushes from where he hid. "What do you think you are doing here?" he growled in a low voice, glaring coldly at her. 

"Well, aren't you just a ray of sunshine?" she asked tauntingly. She silently smiled to herself, as the glare on Kai's face deepened significantly. "I'm practicing with my Beyblade, not that it's any of your business. Why, is that a crime?" she asked innocently. She did not mean to sound rude, but she couldn't help it. His attitude was so cold and frigid, and that glare did alarm her, if not a lot, then a bit. Besides, if he hadn't interfered with her training… 

"Get out, you're not wanted here," he commanded, pointing a finger to the nearest exit out of the forest. He wasn't going to stand around and take sarcastic remarks from anyone. Especially her. 

Mariah now returned his glare. "Why should I leave? It's not like you own the place! The forest is vast, I don't see how I could be bothering you," she spat, frustrated. He was really pushing her limits now. 

Both stood, glaring daggers at each other, neither one yielding to the requests of the other. 

Finally, Mariah spoke, "Humph, I don't have to take this from you. I'll go where ever I want, and if you don't like it, then tough." Turning her back on him, she walked away to another part of the forest to train. 

'The nerve of that guy! Has he not any manners? What is his problem, barging in and demanding that I leave? What did I ever do to him?' she thought furiously. She had never met such a rude person in all her life. Letting out an exasperated sigh, she stopped walking and launched her blade. 

Kai followed to make sure she had left, but he was mistaken, when the sight of the pink-haired girl greeted him. Instead of the direct approach of simply commanding her to leave, he decided to try another. Besides, his first method had already proven futile against her. She was no push over. 

He knew that Beybladers like her had one common weakness: criticism. People like her just couldn't stand criticism, and he planned to use this knowledge to his advantage. "Your Beyblading skills have diminished. You used to be much more precise with your launch. Also, you should have used more force when pulling the rip cord. Your posture could use a little work too. And-" 

"Shut up!" screamed Mariah, covering her ears. She couldn't take it anymore. His arrogance was driving her insane! Why wouldn't he just leave her alone? "When I want you advice, I'll ask for it!" she snapped, "In the meantime, keep your stupid comments to yourself and LEAVE ME ALONE!" 

"Leave now, the forest is a place for tranquillity. Your shouting is disturbing the peace," he stated simply, smirking to himself. 

Mariah was about to explode. What would it take to get it through that thick skull? She was _not_ going to leave! She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Clenching and unclenching her fists, she cooled herself down. "Let's say we settle this with a little Beyblade match, hm?" she asked in the most polite tone she could muster. 

Kai scoffed, "Ha, you and your petty little Beyblade won't even stand a chance, so why bother?" He crossed his arms over his chest and gave her a look of disgust. 

That was the final straw. Insulting her was one thing, but her beyblade too? It was too much. "You inconceivable little fool! How dare you insult Galux!?!?" she shrieked, eyes flaring. 

Kai remained neutral. "I dare, and I did," he said calmly, unaware of the hole that he was digging deeper and deeper for himself. 

Words obviously wouldn't dent that guy. She glanced at him and saw what she needed to make him pay for what he said. Dranzer. 

As quick as lightning, she pounced and grabbed the blue blade from his hand and made a dash for the wilderness. 

Kai was taken completely by surprised. As soon as he recovered from the initial shock, he realized that she had stolen Dranzer. Without a second thought, he chased after her, yelling, "YOU STUPID GIRL, GIVE ME BACK MY DRANZER!!!" 

But, keeping up with the pink-haired girl wasn't as easy as it seemed. She had the agility and dexterity of a cat. Jumping here, swinging there, dodging this, ducking that. There were even a few times Kai had almost lost her. But, fortunately for Kai, he knew this forest better than anyone else, and soon he had her right where he wanted her: cornered at the edge of a cliff. 

Mariah halted to a stop, just inches before the edge of a cliff. She turned to run the other way, but it was too late, for when she turned, there stood Kai waiting with a smirk. 

"There's no where to run now, you foolish girl. Hand over Dranzer and I'll let you leave," he said coldly, glaring as usual. 

She wasn't about to give up. She put the blade behind her back and demanded, "First you have to take back everything you said about me and Galux." 

"Why should I take back something that is true? Besides words can never be taken back." 

"Then apologize for what you said!" she retorted. 

"I can't apologize for something I didn't say wrong," he said, shrugging his shoulders. 

"Then you shall _not_ get it back!" she shouted. 

That was all Kai was going to take from her. He started advancing towards her, a step at a time. "You Will Give Me Back My Blade, Even If I Have To Resort To Other Means," he said through clenched teeth. His words sounded like sentences. 

Mariah, frightened by this sudden change, and his advancement, began stepping backwards. "Not until _you_ apologize," she managed to utter out shakily. 

Soon they were at the very edge of the cliff, in the midst of a glaring showdown. Their obstinacy was something one could credit them for. Neither one conceding to the other, they stood there like statues, not even noticing that the ground they stood upon was beginning to crack. 

Suddenly, the edge of the cliff broke apart and crumbled away, sending the two young teens tumbling down to the bottom. Screams of terror escaped their lungs and filled the air. And then, there was silence. 

  
*~*~*

AN: Oooooo.....cliffhanger......literally! Sorry about that, you guys, but you'll just have to wait until I update again to see what happens to them! (Come on, do you honestly think I'd let them die so soon in the story? ^_~) See you next time! 


	3. Painful Memories

Unforeseen Romance   
By: Lady Sapphire 

Author's Notes: Once again, I'm really sorry for what happened last chapter. I got more reviews telling me I had the wrong story than for the actual chapter! Now, that's just sad. And the second chapter was a turning point too! It's where all the fun began...^_^ I still wish there was a way to turn back time and reverse that mistake...Well, at least now all my stories are organized into folders, so I won't mix it up again. Anyway for this chapter and the next, I just wanted to note that there are some parts that are supposed to coincide with each other. It just shows what the two characters are thinking at the same moment when they are not together. You'll know what I'm talking about when you read it. Hope you enjoy it! 

Chapter 3: Painful Memories

Deep in the stillness of the lush forest, human life seemed void. Silence hung in the air like an icicle that hangs off a roof on a winter's day. The late afternoon wind blew, threatening to blow the leaves off the branches of the tall, majestic trees. The wind seemed to whisper gentle breaths, a secret no one will ever know. In the distance, birds twittered frivolously, while rabbits and squirrels scrambled to collect food before the arrival of the winter months. Nature's course remained undisturbed, but it wasn't meant for it to last that way… 

When the dust cleared, two bodies were revealed, lying unconscious at the base of a tall cliff. Hidden, isolated, and lost from society, it seemed that hope for Kai and Mariah was slim. 

  
*~*~*

Kai stirred. Opening his eyes, he found himself staring into the sky covered by a roof of trees. He, himself, was lying on his back on a pile of dried up leaves. 'Why does it feel like I've been hit with a thousand bricks?' he wondered. Groaning, he rubbed his head in order to soothe his painful headache. In doing so, he caught sight of his arm, which had about a dozen cuts and bruises. 'Ow, what happened to me?' he wondered, straining his brain to remember. The last thing he could recall was the cliff crumbling and his body falling down to the bottom. It humoured him to see himself, still living and breathing after a fall like that. He tried to get up, but he couldn't. It felt like there was a stone resting atop his chest. Raising his head, he could see, that there was indeed something holding him down; not a rock, but something…pink?!?! 

Mariah was in a sweet dream, a memory of her cherished past. A little girl with pink hair, around the age of 5, entered a room. The flames of the fireplace flickered, with the night's supper cooking within them. In a rocking chair nearby, a middle-aged woman with ruby red hair sat, rocking softly and humming a familiar tune. "Come, my dear Mariah. Come sit with me," she said in a honey-sweet voice. She radiated the warmth, softness, and kindness of a mother. 

The girl giggled and climbed onto her mother's lap, snuggling closely to her chest. "Momma…" she murmured. She sniffed. 'Momma is wearing a different fragrance. But wait, since when did Momma wear cologne?' she thought suddenly. "You're not momma…" she gasped as her eyes fluttered opened and reality came crashing into her dreams. 

Kai stared in horror, as the pink-haired girl who had annoyed him so much earlier today, lay silently resting on his chest. He had every intention to push her away, but when he was about to, he couldn't summon the will to do so. He didn't know why, but the sight of her petite figure curled about like a kitten snuggling close to its mother, bestowed warmth into his heart. Oh, how he envied her. Ever since he could remember, he had always wished for a normal life. A mother, a father…a normal family whom he could love and snuggle up to like what Mariah was doing now. However, life had a cruel way of turning its back on you, and in an instant, all your hopes and dreams become dispersed into thin air, as everything and everyone you love and cherish become merely faint memories. These were his memories. This was his past. A past he had long forgotten since he was forced to live with his grandfather. 

  
*~*~*

Author's Notes: Ok, halfway through writing this chapter, I decided to split it in two. That's why this one is shorter. I have the next written too, but I'm not going to put it up just yet because I still need to proof read it. But, I _promise_ it will be updated in the near future! Just give me a few days! 

Disclaimer: I do not own anything except this fanfic. 


	4. New Beginnings

Unforeseen Romance   
By: Lady Sapphire 

Note: I kept my promise! Be happy! ^_^ 

Chapter 4: New Beginnings

As Kai gazed, mesmerized by her sleeping form, he lost himself in his own thoughts, and in his envy of a normal life. 

Suddenly, Mariah's eyes opened and she gasped. Lifting her head, she realized that her "mother", was actually the pretentious character she had met earlier this afternoon. Frowning, she let out a small cry of embarrassment and fought hard to control the blush that was slowly crawling to her cheeks. Backing away, she scrambled to remove herself from more contact with the blue-haired man, but the minute she rose to her feet, a pang sprung from her right foot and sent her crashing back down to the ground. 

"OUCH!" she screamed, bending her knees up to her chest so that she could examine the problem. Slowly, she rolled up the material of her pants to inspect her right leg. She hissed in pain at what she saw. Her leg looked like it had been through a meat shredder. She tried to move her leg around, but with each touch, the pain just increased. "I…think it's broken," she said through clenched teeth, trying her best to hold her tears in from the excruciating pain. 

Kai watched in silence. He didn't know what to do. Was he supposed to comfort her? Help her up? What _could_ he do? He had never been in a situation like this before. So, he did the only thing he could do: watch. 

'Why is he staring at me?' wondered Mariah, scowling. 'Come to think of it, he's been staring at me this whole time!' she realized, as her cheeks turned a slight hue of red. Turning her head, she decided to focus her attention on her surroundings, rather than the gaze of the stoic boy. Glancing down, she noticed the other injuries that were present on her arms, and body. They were minor scratches and bruises, nothing compared to the pain of her leg. Kai had worse scratches than her, but at least he didn't have a broken leg. 

Abruptly, she realized that she still held Dranzer in her hands. Sighing, she recalled that this Beyblade was what had caused them to fall off the cliff in the first place. 'It's no use trying to fight him now; we have greater problems on our hands. Besides, I can't even walk! I might as well return it to him as a peace offering or something,' she reasoned. She hated being the one to give in, but she really had no other choice. This game was tiring and rather childish, and if they were to continue, their lives would definitely be at stake. "Hey," she said, turning to Kai. 

Kai raised an eyebrow but said nothing. 

"Here you go, you win, " she said, coolly tossing the blue blade to him. 

Kai caught it with ease and carefully examined it for any damage. He was so caught up in these recent turn of events that he had forgotten she had taken Dranzer. He glared coldly into her golden eyes, "If you hadn't taken Dranzer, none of this would have happened," he growled accusingly. 

Mariah was shocked. After all that has happened, he STILL wanted to continue arguing?!?! What the heck was wrong with him? Well, if he wanted it this way, then so be it. She was perfectly capable of arguing back, despite her current position. "Excuse me, but if you hadn't made me so angry, I wouldn't have taken your Beyblade!" she sneered back with equal force. 

"If you had listened to me in the first place and left this place, I wouldn't have had to resort to insults." 

"Well, who died and made you the King? Since when do you control where I can and cannot go? Why couldn't you just have left me alone?!?!?" she scowled. Once again, he had triggered a rising anger in her. 

All of a sudden, Kai rose to his feet. "Fine, if you insist on being alone, then I will leave you alone," he stated simply, glowering one last time before turning to leave. 

Surprised by his unexpected movement, but refusing to show it, she retorted angrily, "Fine! See if I care! As a matter of fact, thank you so much for finally getting off my back!" Crossing her arms, she turned her head away from the retreating body and stuck up her nose, indicating that she no longer wanted to talk to him about the matter. 

This just angered Kai even more. Without a second thought, he walked briskly and soon, disappeared into the shadows of the forest. 

  
*~*~*

'The nerve of him! Blaming this whole incident on me!? If it's my fault, then it's just as much as his fault too!' fumed Mariah, still in the same position she was earlier. She sighed, calming herself down, 'It's no one's fault. Who would have imagined the cliff would break? It's just fate, I guess,' she reasoned, 'and it sure looks like fate doesn't favour me…' She rested her head down on her bended knees. Tears stung her eyes as the thought of being trapped in the forest forever entered her mind. She had not told anyone where she was, so there would not be anyone out looking for her. The only person who knew where she was was Kai. 'And he'd be the last person I'd ask for help from,' she added, disdainfully. 

Just then, she heard a noise. It was the rustling of some bushes. Startled, Mariah frantically glanced around. 'There couldn't be any wild animals in this forest, could there?' she gulped. With fear in her eyes, she asked timidly, "Who's there?" 

Slowly, a figure emerged from behind, but it was not a wild animal. No, it was Kai. 

'If she wants to sit there and rot away in the forest, then that's just fine with me! I have no objections,' seethed Kai as he stalked away into the forest. 'It's not like I invited her here anyway.' He stormed farther and farther away from the pink-haired girl, but the more he thought about her, the more a little voice inside his head nagged at him. Even though he despised her and her explosive anger, there was still something about her…something pure and innocent…he couldn't quite describe it, but he knew he had to protect it. Something inside of him just wouldn't let him forget the way she had snuggled up to him. He knew he couldn't leave her in the forest all alone and defenceless. This part the forest contained many mysterious things, and most of them, dangerous. Leaving her here would basically mean killing her himself. It wasn't something he would do. It wasn't right. He just couldn't let death take its toll without even attempting to help. Clenching his fists, he cursed his conscience, and turned to head back the way he came. 

  
*~*~*

"You? What do you want?" she spat bitterly. She was careful not to let her fright and surprise show. She didn't know why he was still here, but she was certain that it wasn't a good thing. 

Kai said nothing. He didn't even flinch. Walking up to her, he kneeled and took her leg to examine it more closely. 

Mariah's eyes grew wide in surprise and pain. "Ow, that hurts! Don't touch me! I thought you were going away! Why aren't you gone yet?" she yelled, withdrawing her leg from his grasp. 

He could understand why she was acting this way, but now he needed her to understand that he wanted to help. Looking at her straight in the eye, he spoke. "Since, we are both stuck in the forest, we need to work together, if we ever want to get out. Let me take a look at your leg. I've had training in first aid before, and I think I can help you," he said, almost sincerely. 

Mariah tilted her head and glanced sideways at him. 'Was that a subtle apology?' she wondered in amazement to herself. She never knew that Kai could be anything else besides rude and obnoxious. Timidly, she nodded, and Kai took her foot in his hands. Gently, he touched her foot in various positions and rubbed it in different places, asking each time if it hurt. Mariah shut her eyes to help her ease the pain. 

Finally, he set her foot down lightly on the ground. "Good, it's not broken. It's only a sprain," he announced. 

"That doesn't help us very much either, does it? I still can't walk," she stated blatantly. 

Kai thought for a moment and then reached for the scarf around his neck. Unwinding it, he took it off, but when Mariah saw what he was doing, she realized that he planned to use it to wrap up her wound. She shook her head, "No, you can't do that. It's your scarf. You don't have to sacrifice it for me," she protested, pushing it gently away from her. 

"We have no other choice," he stated, and wrapped the long material around her foot. After a few cycles, he tied a knot. He stood and held out his hands, signalling for Mariah to take hold. She did, hesitatingly and with a slight blush, and he pulled her up off the ground. 

"Now don't let your right foot touch the ground," he instructed. Pulling her close to him, he leaned her body on to his own, so that he could tie the rest of the scarf around her shoulder to suspend the foot from the ground. 

Blushing fully now, Mariah pulled herself away from him. It felt uncomfortable being so near him. Lowering her gaze, she thanked him for his help. 'Maybe I was wrong about him. He doesn't seem so bad now and at least he sort of apologized,' she thought, with a shy smile. 

Kai grunted his acknowledgement. He didn't want to admit it, but being so close to her was making his complexion grow faintly warm too! She wasn't like other girls. He had never met another girl that could make him feel this way. He had never met another girl who could talk back and speak her mind so freely either, but that was a different story. 

Then, wanting to change the subject, he noted, "It's getting dark. We should find a place to stay for the night and find a way out of here in the morning." 

Looking up at the setting sky, Mariah agreed, "Okay." 

Leaning against Kai's shoulder for support, the two figures staggered through the wilderness in search for shelter from the long, cold night that awaited them. 

  
*~*~*

Author's Notes: That's all for now! My next project will be to update my Gundam Wing story. So, it's going to be another long while before I write another chapter to this story. You know, I should have been studying for my midterms, but I worked on this instead....O_o....It's not my fault though! Ideas kept coming to my head and I just had to write them down! It's strange what the mind will do when trying to avoid studying...lol! See you later! 

Disclaimer: Whoever owns Beyblade, say "aye"! *Silence...then crickets chrirp* ^_^ I rest my case. 


	5. Falling Into You

Unforeseen Romance   
By: Lady Sapphire 

AN: I hate myself for working on this instead of my other story! It's just that these ideas are so fresh in my head, I just had to write them down before they dissolve! Oh well, on the brighter side, you guys get an early update! I just want to point out again that this fic was started _*before*_ I had seen the whole Beyblade series. Some of the facts you find in this story are completely made up (i.e. Kai's past...). So if you doubt something is true, then don't go taking my word for it. And trust me, I don't know anything about herbs and berries...those are just made up! You'll see... 

Chapter 5: Falling Into You

Walking was a most daunting task for Mariah and for Kai. They had to choose the path with the least obstacles, so that tripping wouldn't be an issue. Limping on one foot, while hanging over the shoulders of someone, was not the most effective way to travel. As for Kai, he didn't mind supporting her weight, for she was nothing compared to the weight he had been trained to carry when he was young. However, he did feel uncomfortable holding another being (and of the opposite gender, nonetheless) so close to him. Of course, he didn't show it; he never showed his emotions. Time seemed to drag on, and pretty soon, the sun began to set below the horizon. 

Finally, after what seemed like hours of walking, they stumbled upon an area of the forest that seemed suitable for the night. The land had been relatively cleared, and conveniently, a large fallen log lay decaying on the forest floor. Ambling over to the log, Kai helped Mariah sit on it without putting too much pressure on her wounded foot. Relieved to finally take weight off her working foot, she sat down, stretching out both feet in front of her. 

"Listen, I'm going to go scout out the area for awhile and look for some food. Stay here, and don't move until I get back," he informed, turning to disappear into the darkening forest. 

"Okay…" replied Mariah, tentatively. She had felt so safe and warm when he was around, she didn't want him to leave her so soon. On the other hand, she was hungry, and he was the only one she could depend on for food right now. A chill wind blew past her, sending a tingling feeling down her spine. 'Just come back soon…' she added silently, shivering slightly. 

  
*~*~*

"Blue is safe, while red is poisonous…or is it the other way around?" muttered Kai to himself, as he struggled to remember. Frowning, he plucked the blue berry from the bush and turned it over in his hands, examining it. He heaved a sigh as memories from his brutal childhood flooded through his brain. 

He could see himself, a young Kai, about the age of six or seven. His grandfather had always believed that the strength of the Beyblade, depended on the strength of the one who wielded it. Therefore, as part of his training, he had been forced to read and memorize everything he needed to know about survival. Then as a test, he was deserted in an isolated forest along with some supplies for two weeks, and was ordered to survive. 

Kai made a face as he recalled the pain-staking two weeks he had to live through. Cuts, scratches, and bruises appeared all over his body and stung with every movement. Every corner the young boy turned, danger seemed to grasp at him. Once, he had eaten the wrong coloured berry and broke out into a rash that itched uncontrollably. The further he wandered, the more he became lost, until finally, he would just break down and cry, like a normal child would in a time of confusion and loss. A desperate plea from a lonely child, a cry for help…but there was no one to aid him. He was alone. 

Closing his eyes, he pushed away all emotions he had and tried to focus on the question at hand. Deciding on his first instincts, he popped the blue berry into his mouth and chewed it for a minute. Opening his eyes, he found himself still alive and breathing. Working quickly, he laid down the coat he had brought with him and started collecting more of the blue berries. 

"I guess I should really thank grandfather for that survival course he made me go through. Who would have thought I'd end up in the same situation ten years later?" he scoffed sadistically. 

Rising from his crouched position, he tied his coat so that it formed a sac, and hung it around his shoulders. He decided he would explore the area a bit more before heading back. Making his way freely through the forest, without the attachment of an injured person, he carefully examined his surroundings. The forest at night was dark and dank, hardly a welcoming place. 

As he strolled, a thought occurred to him. Why was he doing this? Why was he offering to help that little brat after she had deliberately taken his most prized possession? She was of no importance to him, and was not of his responsibility anyway. So, why is it that he was still here offering his assistance? He could take all this food, find a place to sleep for the night elsewhere, and wake up bright and early the next morning to search for an exit route. That way, he would get out much faster, and she wouldn't be a burden to him. 

Sighing, he hung his head in defeat. No matter how much he desired to do so, his guilty conscience just wouldn't let him. He just couldn't leave a defenceless person behind in a potentially dangerous place. Not when he knew he could help. 

"There's something about her…" he murmured softly to himself, "I don't know why, but I just can't help feeling the need to protect her." His mind drifted, and suddenly it stopped at a particular thought that made him freeze in his tracks. His grandfather's mission…could she be the one? The one who can help him succeed in this mission? "Could these feelings I feel be…love?" he asked out loud, widening his eyes in shock. The thought had never crossed his mind before, nor did he realize how love felt. He had lost all emotions, especially emotions of love, ever since his childhood days. 

However, as quick as the thought came to mind, it was dismissed before it could even be processed. "No, it can't be. There's no way on this planet will I "love" such an insolent girl," he muttered indignantly. "I am only looking after her because she is injured and needs help. I am only taking care of her for Ray. She is only the friend of a friend. Nothing more, nothing less," he declared, shutting out any other thoughts he had on the subject. 

He desperately tried to concentrate on something else so that he wouldn't have to think about her and his motive for rescuing her. Racking his brain, he soon remembered something that he should have remembered a long time ago. When he had studied for the big "survival" test, he had come across an article about a mysterious herb. What was so special about this particular herb, was that it had healing properties that could cure, or at least help, almost any type of injury. He didn't know if this would apply for a sprained ankle, but as far as he remembered, there was no harm in trying. 

Wasting no time, he hurried over to a nearby river in search for the herb. He recalled that the article described the herb as a "long, dark green, leafy plant that grew near rivers and other bodies of water." The only way to distinguish it was the single pale pink and blue flower that grew at the end of each stem of the herb. 

It wasn't hard to find, but it did take Kai a while in the almost completely dark atmosphere. Quickly, he pulled out a few stems and adding it to his collection of berries, he turned to head back to where Mariah was waiting. 

  
*~*~*

"Brrrr…it's cold," shivered Mariah, hugging herself and rubbing her arms to keep warm. It had been a while now since Kai had left and still he had not yet returned. In her subconscious mind, she began to worry. "Why is he taking so long? Did he get lost? I do hope nothing has happened…" she said apprehensively. Her voice drifted at the last word. 

Sighing, she propped her chin on her hands and leaned forward on her knees. This day has been a horrible, disastrous day for her. First, she was yelled at by Lee, and then she had that fateful confrontation with Kai. Next, she just had to trap herself at the edge of a crumbling cliff and fallen to what would have been her doom, if it weren't for Kai. And finally, now she was stuck in this forest, alone with Kai. 

Thinking back, she remembered the hatred she had for him when he first interrupted her training session. But now, her views have been altered. She no longer thought of him as cold and heartless anymore. Not after all that he had done for her. He could have left her in the forest, but no, he came back. He came back to help her with her sprained ankle. 

She smiled at the thought of Kai's fingers slowly intertwining the material of his scarf over her leg. After that, her leg didn't hurt as much as it did before. Mariah felt a faint blush creep into her cheeks and thanked God that Kai wasn't around. 

'Once you get to know him better, he really isn't all that bad,' thought Mariah, 'and plus, he's quite handsome too!' 

Mariah stopped short. Did she just call Kai "handsome"? Quickly, she denied it, and blamed it upon a surge of female hormones. There was no way she was going to start falling for someone, especially someone as impassive as Kai. It was just too farfetched. 'He must be lonely, always hanging around by the shadows by himself. He always seemed like the outcast of the team. All I want to do is be his friend and _only_ his friend,' she told herself firmly, closing the subject. Shaking her head vigourously, she cleared her mind of thoughts of Kai. 

"That's it! I've had enough of waiting!" she declared out loud, slamming both hands on the log. She didn't want to sit around like a bump on a log, while Kai did all the work. She wanted to do something to help out too. Looking around, she saw towers of trees around the border of the area. This gave her an idea. 

"Since Kai is gathering food, I might as well start up a fire so we can keep warm at night!" she exclaimed. Grinning proudly, she took out her pink Beyblade and launched it forcefully. 

"Galux go! Cut down some branches from those trees! Cat Scratch Attack!" she called out and the pink blade obediently climbed up a tree. The pink mountain cat spirit emerged from the centre of the blade and let out a cat-like cry, before scraping through the wood. Within a matter of seconds, sticks of wood came tumbling down. 

Once she had enough, she called back her bit-beast and safely stored away her Beyblade equipment. 'Now how do I gather them all to one place?' she wondered. Struggling, she stood on one foot and carefully hopped over to the pieces of wood. She managed to travel on one foot, but when she tried to bend down to pick up the wood, that's where she lost her balance. 

Screaming, she closed her eyes and waited for her body to come into contact with the hard ground. But, it never came. It was as if she was suspended in time. Then she realized that someone was holding her up by the waist. Puzzled and embarrassed, she slowly opened her eyes to see who had stopped her fall. Golden met auburn, as she gazed into deep, beautiful eyes, which in turn, gazed back. Strong arms encircled tightly around her petite figure, preventing her fall. Seconds seemed like minutes, and minutes seemed like hours, as they stood, frozen in time, neither one able to move or speak. 

Mariah could feel her cheeks burning up from the realization of her current position. Breaking the silence, she managed to stutter, "K-Kai…?" 

  
*~*~*

Notes: I'm so evil...semi-cliffhanger here! ^__^ Hey don't glare at me that way! I was going to put it a complete cliffhanger by ending it a few lines earlier and using this as the last line: "She opened her eyes and saw..." and end it right there! Then you'd have to wait to find out who it was! You would have really killed me then, right? So that's why I changed it so that it at least mentioned who this person was. So be happy! ^__^ Now we'll just wait and see how they react next time!   
Disclaimer: Beyblade is not mine. If it were, then why would I be writing fanfiction? 


	6. The Remedy

Unforeseen Romance   
By: Lady Sapphire 

Author's Notes: It's about time I updated this story! Sorry for the long wait. I wanted to update on Christmas eve, so that all of you would have a nice surprise on Christmas, but I felt guilty that the chapter was finished, but was sitting around in my computer, while many reviewers have urged me to post it. So, seeing that school's out for the winter holidays (YAY!!!!!), and seeing that I'm in a good mood (I finished my Biology project!), I'll post up chapter six as an early Christmas present. Hope you enjoy it! Now, without further ado, I present to you: 

Chapter 6: The Remedy

"K-Kai….?" 

Mariah was surprised that she still had the ability to even speak! No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't look away from Kai's mysterious, dark red eyes. Their proximity sent a warm, yet odd feeling throughout her body. She could feel her heart pound harder inside her chest, as her pulse raced faster and faster. Her breathing quickened, as her brain tried to process what had just happened in the past few minutes. Was this real? Or was this a really bad nightmare? 

Kai remained still, halted in the 45 degrees dip position in which he had caught her by. He had just returned from the woods, when he heard her scream. In a flash, he dropped everything and rushed to her side, catching her helpless body just before it touched the ground. 

As he stood in the static position, something came over him. For the first time since they had met, he noticed just how beautiful she had become. Her body had filled out quite nicely, Kai noted, as a small tinge of red crawled through his cheeks. The clothes she wore were the same style of clothing that she always wore, but now, they were more form fitting. Her pink hair had grown longer, just above her waist, and still tied in a ponytail fashion by a light pink ribbon. Her eyes, a warm golden colour, were a pair of the most enchanting eyes he had ever seen. He could feel his own eyes slowly become trapped in her own, as he stared, transfixed. 

Mariah couldn't avert her gaze. Her mind told her to move away, but her body felt as if it were made of stone. She could not gather the strength to push herself away from him. His eyes were so alluring, that she felt herself become engulfed in them. 'Move, girl, darn it! Just look away! Why can't I move?!?!' she screamed in her head. 

'If only I could…' he thought helplessly, as his face started leaning in towards her. However, he quickly shook himself out of his trance, 'No, I can't! Snap out of it, Kai!' he commanded, kicking himself mentally. Using every ounce of will power he had, he tore his gaze from hers and looked away. Lecturing himself once again on the weakness of human emotions, he promised silently to never let that moment repeat itself again. 

Then he swept down, picked her up off her feet, and carried her back to the log that she was supposed to be sitting on. Gently, he placed her down, being careful not to inflict pain on her foot. He then turned around and distanced himself from the girl. He attempted to regain his composure. 

Mariah, who was now blushing at full force, just stared at the ground. She was speechless. Never in her wildest of dreams, would she have expected Kai to show up at that precise moment to catch her fall, and then carry her to safety. The more she thought about it, the more he cheeks burned, but what really made her blush, was the fact that she was starting to miss having his strong arms around her. 'What is wrong with me?! I've never felt like that for anyone one before, so why him?' she wondered. 

Kai didn't know why he did it. He didn't have to carry her; he could have simply supported her back to the log. But, he didn't. 'Why?' was all he could ask himself, but no answer came to him. He hated not knowing the answers. He hated not knowing why he felt this way. He hated the fact that his cheeks were growing warmer with every passing second of silence, so he decided to speak. Unfortunately, he took out his embarrassment in the form of anger. 

"I thought I told you to stay put! Were you _trying_ to kill yourself? What do you think you were doing?" he scolded, a bit too harshly. He didn't mean to sound angry with her, but he couldn't help it. His rage just flooded out as if trying to cover his uneasiness. 

Mariah looked up at him in surprise, and almost fear. She let out a small whimper at his tone of voice. Normally, she would never let her fear show, but he had caught her off-guard. "I…I just wanted to help out. I wanted to gather some wood for a fire. I didn't mean to worry you; I'm sorry…" she said softly, glancing away, not daring to meet his eyes. 

Kai regretted his words, but said nothing. Looking at the fallen pieces of wood, he sauntered over to them and started gathering them one by one in the crook of his arm. Mariah was watching this curiously now, as he placed the pieces of wood in a pile a good distance away from the log. 

"How do you suppose we light it?" asked Mariah to no one in particular, frowning as she thought of a way to set fire to the wood. 

Kai, taking the question as if it was directed at him, simply smirked, "You forget the element of my bit beast," he hinted. Then, he pulled out Dranzer and prepared it for launch. 

"Soar, Dranzer! Use fire arrow to light up this pile of wood!" Kai commanded and pulled the rip cord, sending the blue blade spinning. The graceful Phoenix spirit materialized from the blade and flew across the wood. Instantly, the wood erupted into a mountain of golden flames. 

Mariah's eyes widened and she slapped her forehead. Of course! How could she forget the Dranzer had the ability of fire? She shot him a weak smile and held out her arms towards the heat in order to warm herself up. 

Kai didn't reply, but simply stored his Beyblade away and walked over to where he had dropped the berries when he had heard her scream. He picked up the bundle and brought it over to the pink-haired girl. Opening up the coat, he revealed their dinner. "Eat some berries," he offered, placing the bundle on the ground before her. 

Mariah cocked her head sideways to give him a funny look, but made no move for the food. For some reason, she suddenly felt shy around him. Maybe it was the fact that he was being so kind towards her. Or perhaps it was the quick change in the mood. Whatever it was, she couldn't help but feel embarrassed. 

When Kai noticed her uncertainty, he mistakenly took it as mistrust. He sighed, grabbed a berry, and popped it into his own mouth to demonstrate that it wasn't poisonous. "I learned how to distinguish berries when I was young," he informed her. 

Mariah nodded and timidly reached out for a berry to show that she did trust him. After everything he had done for her, how could she not trust him? Eating the fruit, she discovered that it was actually quite sweet. She let go of her uneasiness and reached out for more. After a while, she noticed that Kai wasn't eating. Instead he was pulling the leaves off a plant that was mixed in with the pile of berries. "Why aren't you eating? Aren't you hungry? What are those leaves for?" she inquired, curiously. 

Kai didn't answer. He simply continued stripping the plant of its leaves until it was nearly bare. He then popped a few of the leaves into his mouth and began to chew. 

Mariah watched him with interest. What in the world was he up to? She picked up one of the leaves to examine it more closely herself, but found nothing of interest with it. She decided to ask him again, "What are you doing? And what are these leaves for?" 

After about a half a minute of chewing, he spat out the contents of his mouth onto his hand. They were now a dark green pile of mush that resembled something somewhat like vomit. It was rather sickening to look at. 

Mariah grimaced at this. That was so gross! Didn't he learn not to play with his food? Not bearing the sight of it anymore, she turned the other direction to avoid it. She still didn't know what he was up to, and frankly now, she didn't want to. 

Then, she then felt a tugging at her leg. Turning back around, she saw Kai undoing the scarf that was wrapped around her sprained foot. When it was untied and unravelled, he slopped the green mush right onto the bare skin of her foot! 

Mariah turned green herself, at the sight. "Ugh, what the heck are you doing?!?! Why are you doing this? This stuff is disgusting!" she complained, trying to pull her leg away, but Kai had a firm grip on her and was evenly spreading out the remedy on her ankle. 

Finally Kai spoke, "This is a herb with very unique medical properties. It has the power to help heal injuries. I thought it might help out your sprained ankle. The faster you heal, the faster we can get out of here." 

A doubtful expression spread across her face. There was still something she did not understand. "But…but why did you have to chew it first?" 

Kai stared at her as if she had just asked the most obvious question in the world. "That is the only way to get the medicinal properties out of the plant." 

Mariah still looked unconvinced. How could a plant be that powerful? Plus it was making her sick just looking at that mush. Not to mention that it was mixed with saliva….yuck! She tried to protest, "Why couldn't you have told me sooner? Why didn't you answer me when I asked? Why couldn't you have let me done my own chewing?" 

Kai stopped what he was doing and gave her a sceptical look. Then, using his clean hand, he picked up a leaf that hadn't been chewed and handed it to her. "Try chewing this," was all he said. There was a glint in his eyes. 

Scowling, Mariah swiped the leaf out of his hands, took a bite out of it, and started chewing. She froze as soon as the taste of the contents in her mouth hit her. It was _bitter! Very, very bitter._ Instantly, she spat it out, spluttering every last piece of the bitter-tasting herb onto the ground. Shutting her eyes tightly, she stuck out her tongue and shook her head, making gagging noises in the process. 

Kai smirked. He knew that she wouldn't be able to stand the bitterness. Handing over some berries to her, he said, "Now you know why." 

Mariah glared at him while taking the berries and eating them, desperately trying to clear the bitter taste from her mouth. "You could have told me it was bitter!" she yelled, resentfully. 

"Oh, but it was more interesting to see you find out the hard way. Now you'll learn not to question my intentions," he replied, slyly, with a slight tone of humour in his voice. 

"Kai Hiwatari! That was not funny! One way or another, you will pay for that!" vowed Mariah irately. She crossed her arms and attempted to glare a hole through his head. Oh, how she hated him at this moment. 

Kai rolled his eyes. She was of no threat to him. He finished off applying the remedy and retied his scarf around her foot. Then he got up to leave. "Whatever. I'm going to go wash my hands by the river. It's not far from here. Would you like some water?" 

Mariah's angry expression melted. "Um…sure…" she replied, hesitantly. 

Kai nodded and started heading towards the direction of the river, but he was interrupted by the sound of Mariah's voice. 

"Oh, and Kai?" she said abruptly before she could stop herself. 

He stopped and looked towards her direction. Surprised, he raised an eyebrow. 

"Thank you…for saving me," she said after a pause. He nodded his acknowledgement and then resumed his path to the river. 

Mariah sighed. She'll never understand him. One minute, he's cruel and arrogant, but the next, he's sincere and kind. Glancing down at the leg that Kai had bandaged, a small smile formed on her lips. Maybe the herb really was working, or perhaps it was only her mind playing tricks on her, but her leg didn't hurt as much anymore. 'These herbs might become useful in the future. I think I should keep some, just in case,' she thought to herself, pocketing a few of the dark green leaves. 

The bitter taste of the leaf still remained at the tip of her tongue. She grimaced and muttered something about the injustice of the whole situation. Grabbing a few more berries to clear the taste in her mouth, she waited in silence for Kai's return, while enjoying the company of the welcoming radiance emitted from the flickering, glowing flames. 

  
*~*~*

  
That's all for now! This chapter was kind of odd, I know, but there is a really significant reason for it...which I won't tell you! ^__^ You'll find out later in the story. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have reviewed this story and those who will review (^_~). Thanks, you don't know how much of an inspiration you've been. I'll try to get more writing done during this holiday! Have a safe and very joyful holiday everyone! Merry Christmas!   
Disclaimer: I own nothing but this storyline! 


	7. Closing the Gap

Unforeseen Romance   
By: Lady Sapphire 

Chapter 7: Closing the Gap

Cold waves of water violently met flesh, as Kai angrily spewed the clear liquid across his face, attempting to purge his head of all thoughts he had, especially the ones of Mariah. Droplets of water rolled down his face and hair. Breathing heavily, Kai knelt by the river and scooped up some water in his hands to drink. Burying his face into his wet hands, he contemplated the circumstances. 

'What is the matter with me? Why is it so hard for me to do such a simple task? Why can't I ignore her?' he demanded himself, clenching his fists in anger. He felt so helpless, so out of control…so weak. And if there was one thing he hated, it was being weak. Running a hand through his unruly hair, he closed his eyes and listened the roaring sound of the river echoing throughout the air, almost as if it were laughing at him. Scowling, he muttered, "Even the river taunts my weakness…" 

Suddenly letting a burst of anger explode, he stroked the river with his fists, sending a geyser of water flying in the air. "WHY??? ANSWER ME, WHY???" he shouted out to the river. Of course, no reply came. The drops of water now came back down and Kai watched silently as ripples skidded across the surface of the water. Sighing, he calmed himself down. There was no use in getting angry. It would not solve anything. 

Kai did not know why he was acting the way he was, nor did he think he would ever know. However he knew one thing was for certain, he had to keep control of himself or else…well, he did not want to think of an "or else". This was something he could not fail at. 

'Kai, from now on, you will revert to your normal self. Do not show emotion towards her, do not touch her, do not speak to her unless absolutely necessary…be the usual cold-hearted person you are. That way, there are no complications, no awkward situations, and especially no strange feelings,' he commanded himself, deciding that this was the best way to handle the situation. 

Satisfied with the solution he had come up with, he stood to find some wide leaves. Washing the leaves first in the cool river, he then rolled them into a cone shape and dipped it into the river to gather the water he promised to get for Mariah, reassuring himself that he was only doing this as a favour. 

Smirking, he turned and headed back to their camp. He scoffed, 'Love…ha! There is no such thing as love. Was I ever a fool to even think such a force existed?' 

  
*~*~*

  
    "Here," said Kai, handing the water over to Mariah when he had returned. He made sure that his eyes did not wander into hers as he did so. 

Mariah gratefully accepted the refreshment. "Thank you," she said, politely, before bringing her lips to the leaf and drinking down the water. When she was finished, she wiped her mouth with her arm and let out a contented sigh. "Ah, that was refreshing! The water sure tastes different here in the wilderness." 

"Hn," was all Kai uttered. He was sticking strictly to his plan: the less contact with her, the better. He picked up what was remaining of the berries and walked over to the base of a tree opposite to where Mariah sat. There he sat himself down and silently ate his dinner. 

'Okay…that was weird," thought Mariah to herself, but decided to let it go. The fire flickered in the dark night as they sat in silence, Kai munching berries, Mariah watching the flames. 

'I wonder what he's thinking,' wondered Mariah, all of a sudden. 'He's so mysterious all of the time, and he always keeps to himself! It's no wonder that he's such a grouch. It would be nice if he would open up once in a while though…' her thoughts trailed, as she shook herself awake. Taking a glance at him, she made up her mind to break the silence. 

"So Kai…" she began uncertainly, and Kai looked in her direction. "We didn't really get off to a good start today, did we? Well, anyway, I thought we could start over, you know, like introduce ourselves again," she said, but no sooner had the words left her mouth, she realized how stupid they sounded. It was not like they were little children who needed to be reminded of someone they'd met before. She blushed out of embarrassment, and looked away. 

Kai didn't let that go unnoticed, however, he mistakenly took the blush as a flirtatious gesture and scowled. He turned, ignoring her once again. 

Frustrated, Mariah gave an exasperated scream in her head. 'Argh! Why can't I say anything right? I've never had trouble speaking to anyone before, so what's wrong with me now? It's like I'm all tongue-tied. Why? Why does he make me feel so nervous?' She was never the shy type, not in school, and not even around boys. She always believed that for others to accept a girl into a boy's sport, such as Beyblading, she had to prove that she wasn't afraid of them. And that's how it had always been. She had always been "one of the guys" with her team. 

But now…it was different. She wasn't with her team; she was with Kai…one _very_ good-looking guy. 'Ack!' she mentally slapped herself as the thought crossed her mind, 'Shut up! Stop thinking like that!' She cursed her thoughts, but that didn't help reduce the crimson colour in her cheeks. Palms sweating, she was determined not to let her thoughts get the better of her. She was an out spoken and free minded individual, and never before was she afraid of speaking what was on her mind. She was not going to let one little slip up discourage her from making friends with Kai. 

Trying again, she asked, "So, how have you been these past few years? Ray tells me you guys have won many championships! Congratulations! You guys must have really improved since the last time we battled you." She gave him a sincere grin. 

Kai's reply was a simple "hn." 'Not talking to her, unnecessary…' he repeated to himself in his head. 

Mariah's smile faded. 'Okay…this is so not working,' she told herself. Her shoulders sagged. What was it going to take to get him to say something? She tried again, "You've been keeping up with your training, I see," she then stopped as the topic of training came up. Propping her hands on her knees and her head on her fists, she let out a depressed sigh. 

This caught Kai's attention as he glanced in her direction, wondering what could be the matter. 

"Training. If I hadn't been training, I wouldn't have been in this forest in the first place," she said sadly, "Lee wants me to get better or else he'll kick me off the team. What am I supposed to do? The only thing I can do is train, but that doesn't seem to be getting me very far," she stated wryly. 

Kai knew now her reasons for being here in the forest, and now that he did, he actually felt sympathy for her. He knew from experience, how hard it was to improve yourself when you did not know how to improve. 

Then Mariah directed the conversation towards him, "How about you? Why were you in the forest?" Maybe finally now, she could get him to answer. 

Kai stared at her. Should he tell her? Should he tell her of his Grandfather's mission? What would she think? He debated whether or not it was a good idea. If he told her, then maybe she could help him think of a way to get out of it. Or at least explain a few things more clearly to him. She was a girl, after all, and didn't girls know more about this kind of stuff? But, then again, he hated accepting help from anyone, for anything, and what if she gets the wrong idea? What if she thought that he wanted her to be the one to help him bare the task? He shuddered at the thought. Like that would ever happen. 

No, he couldn't tell her. She wouldn't understand. 

When he didn't reply, Mariah continued prodding him. "Were you training too? How long were you in the forest before I arrived?" 

"Hn." 

That was the final straw. She gave up. It was futile trying to close the gap that had formed between them and growing ever since. "Is that all you can say? What's wrong with you all of a sudden? Why won't you talk to me? I just thought we could get to know one another a bit better. _Is that so wrong?_" she demanded, anger rising. It was very annoying when she knew he was perfectly capable of speech, and yet, she would have been better off conversing with the tree. That way she didn't have to feel uncomfortable while talking. 

"Fine. I give up. I don't know why I even bothered trying to be friendly towards you. I'll just get the cold shoulder from you every time. If you don't want to talk to me, then you should have said so, instead of letting me waste my breath. I won't bother you anymore, I'm going to sleep," she said simply. Yawning, she slid off the log and onto the ground, laying her head on the log, as if it were a pillow. "Good night Kai." 

However, getting a good night's rest was easier said than done. Every now and then, she would toss and turn, trying to find a comfortable position to lie. The log was too high and too hard for sleeping on. Plus, there was that irritating feeling that something was crawling up her skin and back that would cause her to squirm in itchiness. 

From where he sat, Kai watched her settle into her "bed" and couldn't help but feel sorry for her. He remembered how difficult it was to fall asleep in the wild. You had to have keen senses even while sleeping, just in case, and the sleeping conditions weren't exactly what you would call first class. 

Maybe he was being a bit too hard on her. She was, after all, only trying to be friendly and he just brushed her off with the silent treatment. She didn't do anything to deserve that. It was just his own selfish desire to disregard anything that made himself seem weak and helpless. Besides, until the last comment, she hadn't said anything that would make him uneasy to answer. He shouldn't have been so cruel to her. 

Gazing at her restless body, he decided that he was just being paranoid at the river. She didn't deserve being treated as nothing at all. From now on, he was going to take it a little easier on her. Nevertheless, he knew he still couldn't open up fully. 

After about an hour of turning about, Mariah finally found a position that was somewhat comfortable. Her breathing slowed to a methodical rate and soon she was asleep. Snuggled into a ball, her body trembled in the cold, despite the raging fire burning before them. 

Instinctively, Kai grabbed his coat, which was now empty of the berries. He wasn't about to let her sleep in the cold. Besides, he was accustomed to the cold and didn't need a blanket to keep warm. He did not even debate on the matter. "Mariah?" he called out, to make sure she was truly asleep. He received no answer. Relieved, he got up and walked up to her, wrapping the coat around her as a blanket to shield her from the cold. 

Her body gradually ceased its quivering and her breathing returned to a normal rate. 

Kai returned to the base of the tree he was sitting at and smirked. He would have to come up with a reason how his coat got from him to her, but he'd do that tomorrow. Right now, all he wanted was a night's good rest and to just forget about all that has happened today. Crossing his arms, he slowly let his eyelids droop, and soon he was pulled from the world of reality and into a world of dreams. 

_Sleep well, young friends, for more perils await you in the near future…_

  
*~*~*

Author's Note: Hmm, I kinda like how this chapter turned out. I was worried that it would be too short, since when I planned it out in my head, I didn't put this much detail into it, but then it turned out to be the same length as my usual chapter length. Oh well. Exams are coming up very soon :( and I should start cracking the books, meaning I would have to put aside fanfiction for awhile. That's why I needed to finish this chapter, because it completed Day 1 of the plotline. I believe this story will take place over the course of 4 days. After exams are through, I'll get back to the story. So, until then, wish me luck! 

  
*~*~*

Review Comments: 

I don't usually do these because for one thing, I'm lazy =P, and another, I don't really like ending something with a list of comments. It just makes everything look untidy, you know what I mean? But, there were a few comments from the reviews of the last chapter that I just _had_ to answer...so here's my response to a select few of the reviews. A huge thank you goes out to all those who reviewed though! =D 

Anime Fan: Have you been snooping around on my computer and reading my preliminary notes or something? That's _exactly_ what's going to happen! Yep, Kai's going to get hurt (don't kill me, Kai fans!). Of course, with me being the "happily-ever-after" type person, I will make him all better in the end ^_^...more specifically, Mariah will make him all better. It will be kind of like a test of love in a way, because saving Kai, might mean risking her own life too.....D-oh! I've said too much!!! *hits herself on head* (BTW, anyone see "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"? Dobby is adorable!) Anyway, forget I said anything....^__^ 

Kairules997: I wasn't planning on marriage for this story, just a sweet starting point for their relationship. ARGH! Now, I _almost_ gave away the ending! You people are cruel, I tell you, cruel! Is this payback for leaving evil cliffhangers and not updating as frequently as I should? Don't answer that. *grumbles* 

Excquadeer Kadeer: I have considered the fact of Kai's personality and I will try my best to maintain it...but in this story, I try to have Mariah soften him and teach him how to love. *sigh* Romance, you gotta love it! 

Kyris: You're not the only one to complain about short chapters...but think of it this way...the shorter the chapter, the faster I'll get it done, and the faster I get it done, the faster I can update! ^_^ Now, how do you like my logic? *all sweatdrop* But, I believe, or at least I hope, a few of the future chapters will be longer. 

[All Ray/Mariah fans]: Yes, I realize there are a few of you reading this story for you have clearly stated it. I, myself, am also a huge Ray/Mariah fan! I just wanted to start off in the Beyblade fandom world with something a bit different. That's my explanation for a Kai/Mariah story, besides that they really do make a cute couple. Well, if you are a fan, then please check out the Ray/Mariah songfic I posted earlier, called "Memories of Rain". I will write more Ray/Mariah work in the future, because I have some really neat ideas for them that I want to try out. But not right now, I'm much to busy with this story and my Gundam Wing one. 

That's all, folks, and don't try to get anymore details out of me because I'm keeping quiet now...my lips are sealed! Humph! 

Disclaimer: Almost forgot about this...anyway Beyblade is not owned by me, or else there'd definitley be more female bladers! There's not enough!!! It's not fair! 


	8. Change of Plans?

Unforeseen Romance   
By: Lady Sapphire 

AN: Hey, I'm back! And exams are through!!! *dances happily* Now, let's hope I did well on them! ^__^ And guess what? I get two whole days off from school!!! That's because I had two exams on one day @_@... but hey at least I still get a short holiday! And I plan to do more writing during these two days! As promised, here's the next chapter! 

Chapter 8: Change of Plans?

Meanwhile, the entire Hiwatari manor had been in a state of utter mayhem. Servants rushed back and forth in sheer terror and panic, carrying out the orders of the Master. The Master was in his office, growing more and more impatient. Other servants who have formed search parties constantly exited the building, but each time returning with no results. 

Master Kai's promise of returning for supper had been false. He never did come home and now it was past two o'clock in the morning. Worries arose and Voltaire immediately called for a police. Barking out orders for them to search for his grandson outside the premises, he left the servants cowering in fear. 

"WHERE IS KAI?! Where is my grandson?" shouted an aged man into the phone. He was gripping the phone so hard, that his knuckles were white. One must have had pity for the poor soul on the other end of the call, for someone a mile away from the phone could have heard the demand from the receiver. 

The head of the police held the phone away at arm's length and winced. When it seemed that the screaming had paused, he took his chance to speak and earn a chance to save himself. "Mr. Hiwatari, I assure you, we are doing the best to retrieve the whereabouts of your grandson. We have the best of the best on the case and we will find him in all due time." 

"Well, your best isn't good enough! Let me warn you again, if I have to get involved, then you will regret the day you were born…" warned Voltaire sinisterly. 

The police chief shuddered. Voltaire was a man of great power, wealth and influence. Anything he wanted, he got. It was wise not to anger him. "I understand sir. We will find your grandson, don't you worry about it," he said sincerely, and hung up. 

Kai's grandfather angrily threw the phone onto the base. This was getting nowhere. Where the hell was Kai? 'When I get my hands on that boy, he will be sorry he even dared disobey me!' he yelled mentally. "How long does it take to track down one miserable teenager?" he muttered disdainfully. Turning to face the window that overlooked the vast courtyard, he sighed and softened his harsh expression a little. Although he refused to show it, he did care for his grandson. 

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. It opened and a figure stepped in. "Master Voltaire?" came an elderly voice. It was the old butler who saw Kai leave this afternoon, the last person to see him. 

"Oh it's you, Alfred," replied Voltaire bluntly, turning to face his old servant and friend. "Have the others found out where Kai is yet?" he asked hopefully. 

The old butler shook his head and entered the room and set a mug on the desk in front of him, "Your coffee. No, I'm afraid not. Have the police had any luck?" he asked, knowing that the answer was no. 

Voltaire shook his head and a moment of silence passed between them. Finally, he spoke again. "Where do you think he has gone?" 

"I'm afraid I haven't got a clue. Master Kai is a free spirit and wanders off all the time as he pleases. We dare not get in his way, Sir," replied the butler truthfully. 

The Master looked thoughtful, "Hmm…maybe I should restrict his privileges a bit more…" he mumbled, stoking his chin. 

"Master Kai would not like that very much…" 

All of a sudden, Voltaire slammed a fist on his desk, fury clearly visible in his eyes. "Kai is MY grandson and I shall decide his fate, whether he likes it or not! I do as I see fit, as I believe will be the best for him!" he snarled at his old friend. 

Alfred stepped back and took a deep breath. There was something he had been meaning to talk to the Master about, concerning Master Kai. His own opinion on the whole subject, but dare he speak it? Taking a deep breath, he decided to take the chance. He and the Master had known each other for a long time now. He was sure he would see his way of thinking. "Master Voltaire, have you even supposed that perchance Kai had left the Hiwatari residence permanently? Perhaps, it was because of what you had asked of him this afternoon. Perhaps you were a bit harsh on the poor child…" 

Dangerous eyes narrowed and glared at the speaker. "Harsh?" he spat, "the future of the Hiwatari bloodline is in the hands of a boy, my grandson, my only blood relative. Everything I own now will, in time, become Kai's. My fortune, my businesses, my home, everything…even the Hiwatari pride! And yet, the boy cares not. His passion lies only in Beyblades, he is much too reckless. He needs to settle down and start a family sometime and he might as well start now!" Clenching his fists, he asked through gritted teeth, "And you accuse of being too harsh on my only blood heir?!" 

"I am only saying that, as a _grandfather_, you were a bit harsh." A moment's silence passed as this sunk in. 

"What do you mean by this?" questioned Voltaire, eyeing the old man in front of him suspiciously. 

"Ever since he was a young boy, you've always been his trainer, his teacher. You have taken the role of many people in Master Kai's life, but never have you been a true grandfather." 

Voltaire scowled. "How dare you utter such impertinent comments? Who was the one who took him in when his parents passed way? For sixteen long years I've fed, clothed, sheltered him," he growled, ticking his fingers off as he spoke, "He is, after all, my grandson, and I've shared all that is mine with him. So, tell me, why am I not like a grandfather to Kai?" 

Alfred shrank back a little in fear. If he made it through arguing with the Master on this one, he would truly have been a lucky man. Contradicting the Master was forbidden in the Hiwatari mansion, and dire consequences would be put into effect. But for the sake of the young Master, Alfred knew he had to try his best to make the Master understand the error of his way. Hopefully, the fates were shining upon him tonight. 

Taking a breath, he reasoned, "Master Voltaire, you are the only family Master Kai has ever known, and still, you do not treat him with the love every child should rightfully posses. You have never shown Master Kai the love and kindness of a grandfather, of family. All he has learned about is power and perfection…things a normal child would never have to even think about. You never allowed Master Kai a normal childhood. And now this…this mission to obtain a wife. How is Kai supposed to know how to love is if he has never experienced it himself?" He did his best to maintain a calm, gentle tone of voice when he spoke. 

Voltaire froze to contemplate what the old butler had just explained. As much as he hated to admit it, his old friend did have a point or two. He had taught Kai many things, except for weak emotions such as love. 'No grandson of mine shall have flaws,' he told himself. 

In truth, Voltaire really did care for Kai; he just had a different way of showing it. He wanted Kai to be the best, no weaknesses…just perfect. Then he would have been worthy to take over the Hiwatari empire. However, he never thought of love. It was just another obstacle in Kai's true destiny, but now that Kai needed these emotions to complete his path, how will he call upon them? The more Voltaire thought about it, the more he regretted his actions. Now, Kai was gone, whereabouts unknown. 

"You are dismissed, Alfred." 

Alfred bowed. "As you wish, Master, but please reconsider the mission for Master Kai," he pleaded, before turning and leaving, gently closing the door behind him. 

Grunting, he picked up the mug of coffee that Alfred had brought for him and took a long sip, contemplating the current state of affairs. He the turned to glance out the window. 'Kai, forgive me for not being there. If you would come back home, I would modify the mission. I will still have you marry, but I won't rush you. You may go at your own pace,' thought Voltaire, silently reaching out to his grandson. 

Abruptly, the phone rang again, interrupting his thoughts. It was the police again with more queries about Kai. 

Sigh. This was going to be a long night. 

  
*~*~*

Author's note: Yes, I know you're probably thinking 'What a boring chapter!' And you know what? I agree! You probably didn't really want to read about Kai's cruel grandfather, but for the sake of plot, it had to be written! Now, I can get back to the fun parts with Kai and Mariah! Yay!!! In response to Anime Fan, about the mariage thing, this chapter was also the reason why I didn't want to end it with mariage. The mission was changed, so now he doesn't have to! See? I made the grandfather change! At least I don't kill people's grandfathers! :P lol j/k...hehehe! To those who haven't yet(although I doubt it), you simply must check out Anime Fan's "Fighting Spirits", it's hilairious! And when you're finished reading that, there's also "Fighting Spirits 2", which _should be updated very soon...*hint* *hint*_ ^_~ 

This weekend is Chinese New Year! Happy Chinese New Year to all those who celebrate it! I'll bet you'd never have guessed that I'm Chinese ^_^...well, Chinese-Canadian anyway......I'm gonna have so much fun this weekend! Weeeeee!!!! 

Disclaimer: Never owned 'em, never will...*cries* 


	9. Morning Pains

Unforeseen Romance   
By: Lady Sapphire 

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade, that's all. Oh, but I did go and get myself a little Kai figurine thing from Burger King! Must have been odd, imagine a sixteen-year old marching into Burger King and ordering a Happy Meal...-_-" But, but....Kai! I really wanted a Ray figurine, and also a Mariah, but they didn't have it at that time, so I got Kai...*huggles Kai* ^_^ Maybe another time! Anyway, moving on... 

Chapter 9: Morning Pains

Early morning drops of dew dripped from the broad leaves of the towering trees and trickled down Mariah's pale complexion. Wrinkling her face out of irritation, she rolled over and continued sleeping. 

"Mmm…so tired…it's too early to wake up…I must remember to fix that leak on the roof…" she murmured half-heartedly. Then it hit her. 'No wait a minute, there wasn't a leak in the roof! I'm not even sleeping underneath a roof! That must mean…' 

Her eyes fluttered open wide suddenly and she was graced with the sight of wilderness. She groaned. 'Great. Just great. I'd been hoping that this was all a bad nightmare, but I guess that's not possible,' she sighed. 

Yawning, she pulled herself up from her lying position to a sitting position and craned her neck to get rid of the awful cramp she had from sleeping on the high, hard log. She winced for now, not only that her foot was still sore and numb, but her neck and back were in pain as well. 'Ugh, what a horrible night…' 

Rubbing her eyes, she took a moment to revitalize her surroundings. Kai was missing, up already and probably off somewhere exploring. The fire had been long put out. It was already daylight and she wondered how long she had been asleep. 

When she stretched her arms in the air, a dark-coloured piece of cloth slid down her body. Frowning in confusion, she picked it up and noticed it was Kai's coat! How in the world did his coat get on her? She did not remember asking him for it. Like hell she'd ask for anything of his after he so rudely treated her last night! She crossed her arms and glowered at the piece of clothing, pondering what to think of it. 

But then, her frown slowly turned into a slight smile of amusement. Kai must have wrapped it around her last night when she fell asleep. It was a sweet act of him, although she didn't know why he did it. Any anger she had for him last night quickly dissolved. Hugging the coat to snugly to her chest, she smiled to herself. 

Then she heard the snapping of some branches behind her and whipped around sharply, glaring at the intruder who had caught her by surprise. Kai came into view, carrying something in his arms, as well as a thick tree branch that he used as a walking stick. 

"Finally awake? I was wondering if you had died or not…" he said mockingly, walking towards her and setting what he was carrying on the ground. They were a pile of mushrooms. He sat down near her. 

Mariah glared. "Of course, I'm awake. You can't get rid of me that easily!" she started, but froze as she realized something, "Wait, you…you're speaking to me again?!" she asked incredulously. 

"No, I was speaking to the tree," he replied sarcastically, and Mariah choked on the air as he mimicked her exact thoughts from last night. Kai rolled his eyes and changed the subject before she could ask him why he acted the way he did. "Here is breakfast. Fresh mushrooms! And no, they are not poisonous. If I wanted to kill you, I would have done so at the base of the cliff," he informed her, with a slight grin. 

Mariah nodded and picked one up to eat. Mushrooms weren't her favourite food in the world, but when you're stuck in the middle of nowhere, there was no place for being picky-choosey. Munching silently, she remembered Kai's coat. Swallowing, she held out the coat to him. "Thank you, for blanketing me with this yesterday night. It was really cold." 

Kai froze. He had forgotten that he'd have to face her sooner or later. "Whoever said I gave it to you last night? I woke up early this morning and didn't need it so I just threw it aside…it must have landed on you," he shrugged. He knew it was a terrible lie, but it was all he could come up with, besides telling her the truth. And the last thing he wanted her to know was the fact that he was being nice to her. 

She shrugged, not believing a word of what he had just explained. "Well, thank you anyway. Do you want it back?" she asked kindly. 

He shook his head, no. "It's okay, you can keep it." 

She smiled. "Are you sure? Thanks!" she exclaimed, quickly putting her arms through the sleeves. She didn't know why, but the coat gave her more than just warmth, but comfort as well. Maybe from the fact that it belonged to Kai… 

"How's your foot?" he asked, greatly wanting to change the topic. 

"Huh? Oh, my foot!" she had forgotten about it for a brief moment back there. She tried to move it around; it still hurt, but not as much as it did the day before. "It's better, but it still hurts…" 

Kai nodded, "That must mean that the herbs are taking effect," he concluded. He then handed the stick over to her. "This should help you with the travelling," he told her. 

Mariah observed the walking aid. "All right. Thank you…" she said, taking the stick into her hands and placed it aside while she continued eating. She was glad that now she did not have to lean on Kai for support anymore, and yet she was a bit disappointed. She had liked the feeling of his proximity. Shaking her head to clear the thought, she reprimanded herself again to not think in that way. She did not like Kai! It was a ridiculous concept. She hated his cold, sardonic attitude. Reassuring herself, she finished the last of her breakfast and tried to stand with the aid of the stick, when she felt Kai's fiery touch at her elbows, helping her to get up and gain her balance. She blushed. 

Kai didn't notice. "I've checked out the area. The easiest and shortest way out seems to lie southeast of where we stand now," he told her pointing towards the direction. "That path will lead us to a side of the cliff with the gentlest slope. From there, we should manage to climb up. The other ways are either blocked by fallen trees, extremely crowded paths, or steep slopes." 

Mariah nodded, impressed with what he had discovered in that time frame he was gone. 

"Let's get moving now," he suggested, leading the way. 

Mariah staggered close behind following his lead. Soon they would be out of this nightmare, and soon she would be rid of him. 

  
*~*~*

A/N: I felt bad for leaving you guys off with no Kai/Mariah, so I wrote it out as soon as I could (but didn't post it ^_^)... Hope you liked it! Next one is almost done as well, just a few more details to add! Hmm...I think I'll call the next one, "Tender Hearts"...why? Wait and see...^_^ 


	10. Tender Hearts

Unforeseen Romance   
By: Lady Sapphire 

Chapter 10: Tender Hearts

It was around noon when the two teenagers stopped for a rest and lunch. They had decided to take their break near a river where Kai showed Mariah how to turn a leaf from a tree into a drinking utensil. Inspired by this, Mariah delightedly formed two drinking cones herself and gathered water for her and Kai to drink. They drank the water thirstily, for the long morning's walk had been very tiring and by now, their mouths were very arid. 

Kai crumpled the leaf and idly threw it to the ground when he had finished his drink. He was busy contemplating the length of time it would take for them to reach the exit. Abruptly, his keen senses picked up on a distinct rustling sound behind them. Rising swiftly, he pounced at the noise, disappearing in some bushes. 

Mariah jumped, surprised by his sudden action. She stared at the scene with a confused expression. What has gotten into him? "What's wrong, Kai?" she asked, worriedly. 

All became clear when he emerged from behind with a self-satisfied smirk on his face, clutching a snow-white rabbit by the ears in his hand. "Looks like we won't have to eat berries and mushrooms for lunch," he replied. 

Stunned by the sight, Mariah just stared at the rabbit, struggling for dear life to escape the grasps of death, but to no avail, for Kai's strong grip was inexorable. She winced. Poor rabbit, it is just an innocent victim. It was not doing harm to them so why take away its life? Besides, judging by the size, it was only a baby. What mother deserved to be deprived of her child? The mother would be heart-broken. Kai couldn't do this, he just couldn't! Even if it was just a rabbit, it was still a living, breathing thing. "Kai! Stop, please stop!" she cried out, unable to bear the scene unfolding before her. 

He was about to bring a final strike to the furry animal, when Mariah cried out his name, forcing him to stop in his tracks. The sound of his name sounded foreign to his ears coming from her lips. Every time she had called out to her, it was either out of anger or uncertainty, but now, it wasn't the same. The tone in her voice sounded so desperate, so pleading…he couldn't ignore it. A rueful look in her eyes implored him to cease movement. Tilting his head sideways, he glanced at her questioningly. 

Wavering slightly, she stood with the aid of the stick and ambled over to Kai. Leaning on the stick, she took the rabbit from his rough grasps and cradled it in her chest, stroking its fur gently to calm down the frightened animal. It gradually stopped shaking. 

Kai had willingly let go of the animal without a fight, although he was unsure of the reason why. When she had touched him, he could feel her gentle grace penetrate his skin and warm his heart. And now as he stood, watching dazedly at the scene unfolding before him, he could feel her emit an emotion he had never experienced before…compassion. And he didn't like it. It made him feel weak; it made him yield to her. 

"Hand it over," he ordered, holding out his hand, "I'm sick and tired of eating berries and fungi all day long." Flustered, he tried to cover up his mistake. 

"Please Kai, do not harm the rabbit. It has done nothing to us," she begged, holding the rabbit far away from Kai, in case he did not want to comply. "I beg of you. Rabbits too, are living creatures with life and families. It is wrong to destroy them." 

He took a moment to think about what she said. It amazed him how anyone could show that much compassion to a mere animal. After all, animals were inferior to humans, so why should anyone care? His grandfather had always taught him that survival was the key. So what if a few animals died? As long as he survived, that was all that really mattered. Still, he was curious to the extent of her compassion. "If you were isolated in a place where the only source of food were animals, would you rather starve to death?" he challenged. 

Mariah glanced up at him inquiringly, then back at the rabbit and nodded. "Yes, I would. I won't bear to see an animal get hurt. I couldn't…" 

He was at a loss for words, so instead he just nodded, before promptly turning to face the other way and leaving. "Fine," he murmured. He would go collect berries, at least this would give him time to wonder this new feeling that made him succumb to her request. 

Mariah gratefully thanked him and continued stroking the rabbit in her arms. 

  
*~*~*

Kai walked pensively down the pathway in search for a bush of berries. Still bewildered by her compelling actions, he frowned, marring a crease across his forehead. 

Never had he felt such strong emotions, such warm and welcoming ones too. Ever since his parents had passed on, all he could feel was pain, sorrow, and hatred. His grandfather was of no help either, with his cruel and harsh training. What was compassion? He didn't have an exact definition. 

Whatever it was, it was powerful. It made him feel feeble against Mariah, knowing that he wouldn't be able to resist her pleas any longer. He felt a tinge of jealousy. Why couldn't he feel the same way? He was human too, after all…wasn't it only natural to feel compassion? He sighed, stuffing his hands into his pockets. 

"Could grandfather have been wrong?" he mused. Was it worth risking his own life to save another, even if it was just a rabbit? He thought about it, and what he would have done in her place. His mind ultimately came to rest upon a sole question, "Would I risk my life for her safety?" The query was sudden, unexpected, and completely irrelevant. The answer should have been an automatic "No", Kai knew, but the words absolutely refused to come out. 

"I…I…" he faltered, but gave up, throwing his hands to the air. "Fine, YES, I would save her! Are you happy?" he shouted to plain air as if it were an enemy, taunting him. To an ordinary bystander, Kai would have been deemed "insane". 

Breathing heavily, he narrowed his eyes, attempting to remain calm. He wanted to learn from her, learn how she was able to make him yield to her request. Making up his mind to question her about it, he arrived at his destination and began gathering their lunch. 

  
*~*~*

A few minutes later, after Kai had done some thinking on this whole turn of events, he returned with two fistfuls of berries. Setting them down on the ground beside her, he resumed studying his task of studying her thoroughly. 

"What?" she asked, noticing that Kai had fixed his eyes on her, and was staring intently. 

"You really like that rabbit, don't you?" he asked curiously. 

Mariah smiled and nodded. "Oh, yes. Ever since I was a young girl, back in the village, I used to raise all sorts of small furry animals: cats, dogs, rabbits, squirrels…I couldn't resist it," she giggled. Then a glazed look came over her eyes, "I miss those times. Now, I'm rarely ever home, so I had to let the animals go…" she said sadly. 

Kai nodded to show that he understood. "But why did you even bother with such a past time anyway?" he asked. 

She blinked, "Well for starters, they are great companions. When there is no one else around to talk to, there are always animals. Sure, they can't talk back, but it still helps, and you can be assured that any secrets are safe with them. Besides, they're adorable little creatures," she said, nuzzling the animal in her arms. She reached out for a berry and held it out in her hand in front of the rabbit to eat. 

He stared, supposing she was right. He glanced at her, lingering for another moment before getting up from his seated position to crouch in front of her. There, he tentatively reached out and stroked the animal. What warmth it brought to his heart, she would never know, but assuredly, he was different. 

The rabbit reacted to Kai's touch, tensing up, and then relaxing. Mariah grinned. "It likes you, Kai," she chirped. 

Kai glanced at her cheerful expression. She was so beautiful when she laughed. Unconsciously, he reached out a hand to stroke Mariah's left cheek, seeking the same warmth he felt when he stroked the rabbit. 

Mariah stiffened when she felt his fingers upon her skin. Blushing, her glee died down as she looked into his mysterious eyes for reasoning. What was he doing and why? She wanted to protest, but couldn't find her voice. Instead, she sat inanely still and waited for the scene to play out. 

Kai trailed his fingers down her check and stopped to grasp her chin. His auburn eyes gazed deeply into her eyes. Slowly, he brought her face closer and closer to his own, unable to control his own actions or feelings. He was in his own world, and all that he desired at that moment was a sign, any sign, to show that he wasn't the impassionate jerk everyone thought he was. 

Then it happened. Their lips touched. Lightly and tenderly, a kiss descended on her lips. 

Mariah's eyes grew wide in shocked, but did not struggle. Just like her previous attempts, her body had frozen into a heavy mound of ice. The odd thing was that what Kai was doing was flaming up every part of her body. She closed her eyes and returned his gentle kiss. 

It was a short kiss, simple, yet meaningful. Nonetheless it sent them both blushing as bright as a ruby red rose. The kiss broke apart and a moment's silence was used to compose themselves. 

Kai felt different. He felt warmth in his heart that used to be hard and cold. Inwardly, he had liked the kiss, but he denied it. He wondered how she would react to this situation, but she wasn't doing anything. She just sat there; looking dazed, stunned, and flushed in the face. What did she think of it? Guilt panged through him. Should he have done that? Should he have invaded her personal space like that? He cursed himself for being curious and selfish. He cursed his impulse and lack of control. 

Mariah was still trying to recover from her initial shock. Then it sunk in. Kai had kissed her. The hot, good-looking, but cold-hearted Kai had actually kissed her?! It was as next to as impossible as a flying elephant! 'How dare he try such a move without asking me first?!' she thought, but surprisingly enough, she wasn't angry. She was just confused by his bizarre behaviour. 

Deciding that he would never lose control over his emotions again, he stood and walked past her, "I…I apologize, Mariah," he said softly. "We should get going now," he added, before starting for the path they were headed for this morning. 

The pink-haired girl shakily pulled herself up and followed suit. Maybe it was best if she just pretended nothing happened at all… 

  
*~*~*

AN: Another chapter done, yay! Hope you like this one! ^__^ Sorry for another long wait, but I'm busy nowadays so updates will be scarce, since I will only be able to write when I have spare time...*sigh* I can't wait for the spring break! 

Disclaimer: Beyblade is mine! All mine!!! Just kidding...but I wish it were! 


	11. Plight of Rain

Unforeseen Romance   
By: Lady Sapphire 

Note: A friend of mine, twilight knight, and also a reviewer suggested that I space out my paragraphs...I found nothing wrong with my original format, but for all you readers who have the same complaint, I've reformatted the WHOLE story so that it is more spaced out. Is it better now? 

Chapter 11: Plight of Rain

The journey that followed was truly a discomfited one. Each remained hushed as they traveled, as not to further intensify the awkward atmosphere. Mariah made it a point to stay at least three feet behind Kai so that they would not face contact. Her eyes concentrated on the road beneath her feet and she dared not look up, for fear that he would do something to her again. 

Why? That was the question that ran through her head over and over again. Why did he kiss her? Why hadn't she jerked away from him? Why had she let him take control of her? 

Biting her lip, she envisioned the tender kiss, her first kiss, again in her mind. It wasn't whom she had imagined it with, but the feel, the touch…it was just ideal. It seemed so real…yet, so delusive… 

'Did that really happen?' pondered Mariah, 'I mean, come on, this was _Kai_ we're talking about. The ever-so-dispassionate Kai, who regarded no one but himself, and whose only ambition in life was to achieve perfect perfection. So how could all this be real?' 

She shook her head, disbelieving the incident, "It was just a mistake; everyone makes mistakes, right? He must have just slipped, or maybe it was just an accident…I don't know…but I know, he did not mean it…" she murmured quietly to herself, although a part of her still wished that wasn't true. By now, Kai was already too far ahead to hear. 

Kai was well aware of the tension that had arisen since his bold move, and candidly, he couldn't blame her. He, himself, was starting to have his doubts. Moving briskly, he made his way, not stopping to check if the girl was still following. 

'Why did I do something as foolish as kiss a girl?' he demanded of himself, with distaste, 'More importantly, why did she let me?' He wished that she had slapped him or yelled at him at the least, for it would have made it clear that he was making a mistake. But, she did nothing. Absolutely nothing. She had willingly let him kiss her and then not say a word. He couldn't figure it out. He had lost control of himself, but that was no reason for her to lose her senses as well. And now, he didn't know what the right thing to do was anymore. 

Throwing a slight glance over his shoulder, he observed her grim expression, lost and confused, and felt a short pang inside of him. 'I wonder what she thinks of it. I never wanted her to be unhappy. I wish she would say something, anything to show what she was feeling; anything to show me the path I should take, ' he contemplated. 

Then he began thinking in a way he never thought before. 'Does she care about me? Or else, why would she have let me come that close to her?' he mused, freezing for an instant. His heart pounded faster and his hands were ice cold. Clenching his fists he asked himself, 'Do I care about her?' For some reason, he couldn't bring himself to answer the question, nor could he bring himself to controvert. 

Although the canopy of trees shaded the midday sun, it was still very hot. Beads of sweat skidded down their faces in the sweltering heat. However, the weather was capricious. In the next moment, dark grey clouds eclipsed the glowering sun and a rolling rumbling sound could be heard in the distant sky. 

Kai frowned, glaring at the darkened sky. It was just their luck. Just when they were about to escape this prison of nature, the heavens decide it would be funny to delay them a bit longer. He growled inwardly, cursing the sky. 

"We better hurry," he said monotonously, halting his step so that she could catch up. "It looks like there's going to be a big storm coming up. If we hurry, we can reach the base of the cliff before it lets down. There is a cave in the cliff which we can take shelter in until the rain gives heed." 

Mariah, forgetting her distress, glanced at Kai and then upward at the sky. "Yeah, you're right. At this rate, we'll have to start the climb tomorrow morning…" she added glumly, quickening her pace. 

Another rumble of thunder sounded and soon after, drizzles of raindrops began to descend upon the Earth. Lightly at first, but then the rate of the raindrops accelerated to a faster speed. 

The two of them broke off at a desperate run to avoid getting _completely_ soaked. Kai had already taken note that she wouldn't be able to run very fast, and leaned her weight against himself to help support her. It didn't even feel awkward anymore since the kiss, and besides the fact that the rain was on their minds. Hastily, he led her to the cave he spoke of, just in time, for the next second, the rain poured down like a waterfall. The vision outside the cave became blurred with heavy raindrops. 

Panting, the two of them tried to catch their breath. Mariah, totally worn out, collapsed to the floor. "Stupid weather! It just had to rain today! Just when we were almost out!" she complained bitterly. She was wet, and she was cold, therefore she was a very unhappy person. Squeezing the water out of her hair, while continuing to mutter under her breath, she untied the damp pink ribbon that secured her hair in place and shook out her hair. She ran a hand through it to get out any knots that had formed from the rain. 

Kai watched her in awe. She looked much more beautiful with her hair down. He never imagined her in this way before. He regarded silently as she huffily squeezed the water out of her clothes. 

Her clothes…the wet clothes clung to every curve in her body, revealing her slender form. Kai blushed, mentally slapped himself and turned away. How could he even think in that manner? It was a most inappropriate thing, to gape at a feminine figure, especially for someone of his stature. But nevertheless, he found his eyes trailing towards her. Quickly, he busied himself by gathering sticks and twigs found on the cavern floor to start a fire, attempting to purge his head of that mental image. When he had enough, he placed them in the centre and summoned his trusty bit beast to ignite the wood. 

Mariah smiled, "Thanks Kai. I don't know what'd I do without you," she said kindly, drawing herself nearer to the fire. Holding out her hands, she rubbed them together to create warmth. 

Grunting a reply Kai sat down on the ground, on the opposite side of the fire, a safe distance from her, and forced his eyes to stare at the ground. 

Suddenly, he heard a sneeze. Looking up concernedly, he saw Mariah rubbing her nose and sniffling. "Mariah, you're going to catch a cold. Take off your clothes and let them dry by the fire," he told her, without thinking. 

Instantly, her cheeks flared up and became as red as two ripe tomatoes. "WHAT?!" she squeaked, embarrassedly. She wanted to die there and then. 

Kai's eyes widened as he realized the unintentional meaning in his request, and blushed too. "I mean…um…" he said, trying to cover his mistake. Desperately, he surveyed his surroundings for a solution. The cave was dark and dank. It wasn't very deep, but the oddest feature was a ledge-like piece that extended out from the wall of the cave and acting like a barrier… Perfect. 

Assembling another pile of sticks, he brought them over to the other side of the barrier and started another fire. "Come here," he ordered, coming over to the other side. 

Mariah reluctantly did as she was told. She understood his intentions, but the thought of removing her apparel…was simply disturbing. Slowly she ambled over to the other side and sat before the fire. 

Kai made his way back to the other side and seated himself to where she sat before. "Now you can remove them." 

She heard his voice from the other side of the divider, but made no movement to do as asked. All she did was blush and sulk. 

When he heard no sound, he assured her, "I promise I won't look. Come on, you'll catch a cold, and that's the LAST thing we need…" 

"What about you?" she blurted out, before she could stop herself, "You're not immune to illness either." 

"Hn," he replied. There was a pause before a soft rustling sound could be heard. 

Mariah blushed a deeper crimson at the thought of a bare-chested Kai. Sighing, she slowly began peeling away her wet clothing as well, starting with Kai's coat that she still had on. She left her undergarments on though; she rather have been dead than be completely bare. Wreathing the material to get out as much water as she could before extending the wet clothing over the fire. She prayed that they would dry as soon as possible. An eerie feeling kept crawling through her skin. 

Kai did the same. Holding out the wet material, he concentrated on not letting his mind wander unexpectedly. It was a very uncomfortable feeling, sitting undressed with only a rock separating a reciprocating female form. An uncanny silence grew between them, each not knowing what to do or say to the other. 

Unable to bear the silence any longer, Kai decided to try and make conversation. Since he had the side of the cave that was near the entrance, he decided to comment on the topic frequently used when a topic wasn't at hand…the weather. "It doesn't look like the rain will let up anytime soon," he commented, "And even if it does today, it'd be too late to start the climb. We'll stay here for tonight and start bright and early tomorrow morning." 

"All right…" she replied. She heaved a sigh. "It'd be so great to see the White Tigers. I wonder how they are doing. They must be worried," she said thoughtfully. "Do you miss your family?" she asked all of a sudden. 

Kai frowned disdainfully. "My parents are dead," he stated bitterly. 

"Oh. I'm sorry…" 

"Well, there's my Grandfather…but he doesn't care about me," responded Kai, feeling sorry for inflicting sadness in her. 

"Why do you say that?" she wondered, raising an eyebrow. 

"Hn…" he replied, hesitating to answer her question. He had never discussed his life with anyone before. It was too painful a memory to be reconciled with. However, he felt as if he could communicate with her, that he could tell her what was on his mind and she would listen. In these short days, a sort of bond had formed between them. After all, he had kissed her… 

"Ever since I was a child, he has put me through strenuous training procedures in order to make me the best. He hated failure, and expected me to be perfect in every way. He did all this not for me, but for himself, for his own pride. By the time I had reached the age of ten, he had me doing these little 'missions' for him…" his trailed off, remembering his latest mission… 

"I'm sorry to hear that…" whispered Mariah only loud enough for it to be audible to Kai. She fiddled with the clothes in her hands, turning them around. It was no wonder Kai was such a grouch and unsociable jerk sometimes. He never did have a normal childhood. And the way he commanded the Bladebreakers…it was all part of the lifestyle he grew up with. "I wish you had told me this sooner. What kind of missions did he make you do?" she ventured. 

He froze, knowing this was coming. "Things like collecting bit beasts, searching for new and more powerful ones…they never really bothered me, until the one he gave me yesterday…" 

"Which was the reason why you were in the forest? To think it out?" she questioned. 

Kai nodded, forgetting that she could not see him. 

"What was it?" 

He had been prepared for this question. Last time, he had not answered her because he was uncertain. Now, since he had already poured out his life story to her, he decided he was ready to tell her the truth. Besides, after putting her through what he did to her yesterday and at noon today, she deserved to know the truth. "He...he wants me to find a _wife_," he proclaimed, cringing at the word. 

"Oh. That's a rather odd request," she said half-heartedly. To her amazement, she was blushing when she had said that. 

"Yeah…problem is, I still don't know how to solve it and if I don't, I will be kicked out of the Hiwatari bloodline and Dranzer will be taken from me…" he said gloomily, holding his Beyblade. 

"That's horrible!" she cried out. The thought of losing her Galux was unbearable to her. "That isn't the way love works! You cannot just force it upon yourself to fall in love and expect it to be reciprocated immediately! These things take time," she preached passionately. 

"Hmm…" he murmured, considering her words, "Tell me then, Mariah, what _is_ love?" 

She was flustered. "Well, I don't know exactly. There are many views and opinions on what is love. This is my view," she said, taking a breath before continuing. "Love is when you care so deeply for another that you would risk anything for the person. When the mere thought of losing him or her is an insufferable reality. When your heart longs and pangs for the sheer sight of that person every waking moment…" her voice wandered off. She wasn't sure how to continue describing this emotion. 

Kai contemplated this. "And how will I know if love is true? Will it not deceit me?" 

"It won't. It's a special feeling, once you find it, you'll know it right away," she guaranteed him. 

There was a pause. A meandering question lingered at the tip of his tongue. "Have you already felt this way? With Ray, that is…" 

Mariah blushed. "Ray is a good friend. We grew up together in the village. He has always been like a big brother, and he always will be." 

For some reason, this brought comfort to him. It reassured his mind that there was nothing going on between Ray and Mariah. He didn't know why, and didn't have the time to ponder the question, for at that precise moment he realized that his clothes were dry. "My clothes are dry. Probably, so are yours." 

Mariah ran a hand through them and indeed they were dry. Hastily, she put them on and waited for Kai to give her the signal to cross the borderline. She gave him a broad smile as she saw him, not only because he had missed the sight of him, but because the rain had knocked his hair out of place. It amused her to see the prim and proper Kai Hiwatari in such a dishevelled state. "Thanks Kai, that was an interesting conversation we had," she told him, grinning. 

Kai was busy trying to straighten out his hair, but gave up when he found it useless. Casually, he walked over to the other side to put out the fire there, as it was not needed anymore. 'No, thank _you_, Mariah. You've helped me more than you'll ever know,' he thought, but didn't speak. 

Mariah shrugged. Oh well, you win some; you lose some. Kai was back to being his moody self. 

"We better get some sleep. Tomorrow's a long, tiring day ahead," he said briefly, before settling down on the ground, back against the wall, arms crossed. 

Mariah took one look at the ground and groaned. She remembered how difficult it was to sleep last night. This was going to be considerably worse. Frowning, she sat on the ground and leaned her head against a wall opposite to Kai. Hugging herself to a ball, she prepared herself for the task at hand: falling asleep. 

Kai too recalled how troubled she was sleeping on hard surfaces. Feeling as he should do something, he called out to the pink-haired girl. "Mariah, come over here," he said simply. 

Mariah raised her head to look at him with a confused expression. What did he want? Scrambling over to him, she awaited to hear his request. 

Kai said nothing. Instead, he pulled her head onto his lap. "Sleep here, tonight. It'd be easier." 

Turning red, she began to protest, "But-" 

"Shhh…" he hushed, "We've got a long day tomorrow. You need the rest." 

Sulkily, she gave in. She slowly positioned herself uneasily in a comfortable position on Kai's lap. 

He smiled slightly at the sight, and shifted himself to a passable position to sleep in as well. Promptly, they fell asleep, before the blazing warmth of the fire, and the patter of the fateful raindrops, sent to bring life upon the world, and to bring two hearts closer as one. 

  
*~*~*

Note: ...*sigh* I love the way I ended this chappie...so sweet and perfect. But the story's not over yet! Unfortunately for them, the climax is coming up! The part where Kai gets hurt comes next chapter ^_^! Stay tuned until then to see how this will play out! 

Elbereth_Gilthoniel: Perhaps I do get on the cheesy side when I write, but then again, that's my style! And I like writing like this. This isn't some comedy or action story, it's a romance and it's supposed to be mushy...and with that comes cheesiness, I suppose. I just try to put into words how I picture the scene in my head so that others can see it too. And no, I did not get anything from Shakespeare, I haven't even read all of his plays yet! So far I've only done three in school, Twelfth Night, Romeo and Juliet, and in the process of Macbeth (which is, by the way, a great play! Although a bit creepy...and it is a tragedy! :( I love the witches' lines! Nice and rhymey...). However, I am flattered to be compared to such a fantastic writer, and a writer of some wonderful romances! *sigh* I know I'm weird, but I actually like the old English they used to use... 

I'm going to be busy reading my English novel study for a while. Yay, we get to read Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë! I haven't read all of it yet, but from what I've read so far, it's a good story! I think I will enjoy it! But, it is a very hard book to go through! It's thick, with very puny font, and I can't sit through and read without cracking open the dictionary every few lines! -_-" If you think the vocabulary I use in here is hard, wait till you read this book...blame the novel...I'm picking up new words and incorporating them here...-_-" So, I probably won't update till the book is done :( Oh well, that's school for ya...I forced myself to finish this chapter before the March Break ended, and it is by far the longest chapter :) Bye for now! 

Disclaimer: I own my story, that is it. The rest is copyrighted by the makers of Beyblade. 


	12. Venomous Attraction

Unforeseen Romance   
By: Lady Sapphire 

AN: Finally got the chance to work on this!!! I did it Thursday night...stayed up until like four in the morning typing O_o... sorry if I took so long to update! 

Chapter 12: Venomous Attraction

Morning arrived, and a glorious sun brought promises of a bright day. The rain had stopped sometime during the night, however the damp atmosphere that surrounded the woods was evidence enough of the heavy storm last night. Broad, dark green, canopy leaves of trees retained oceans of rainwater. Tiny droplets trickled down leaves and petals and onto the soggy ground. Puddles shrouded the forest floor, causing it to be moist and soft. Earthworms squirmed through the soft soil, basking in the moisture, while chirping birds awaited the glimpse of their morning breakfast. The air, moistened by the midnight rain, was cool, unlike the humid day before. 

The cave was in amity. Mariah was still asleep, tired out from the running they did yesterday. Kai had been already awake and was conscientiously observing the sleeping creature on his lap. She seemed so peaceful when she slept; he did not want to disturb her. 

A sigh escaped Mariah's lips. She felt warm, not remembering exactly why. Curling herself in a ball, she buried her head into the warmth. She had slept well last night, unlike the night before. Suddenly, she remembered that she needed to get up early today to start the climb up the cliff. Opening her eyes, she found herself staring into the pair of deep crimson eyes. 

She quickly sat up and pulled herself from Kai, back facing towards him. Blushing while trying to cover up for the embarrassing situation, she demanded, "Why didn't you wake me?!" 

"You needed sleep. Besides it's still early," he stated plainly. He stood up, with the intention of stretching, but he was forced back down when a sudden twinge of pain ran through his legs. His legs had become numb from lack of activity! And thinking about it, he realized he hadn't moved all night, and that he had lost all feeling until now. Clutching himself, he tried to shake off the numbness. 

Mariah gasped as she noticed the problem. Drawing herself beside Kai, she glanced at him with a frantic expression. "Kai! I'm sorry; this is my fault! If only I hadn't…" she cried, not being able to finish her sentence for she was interrupted. 

"I'm all right. Don't worry about it; it'll pass soon," was all Kai had to say. Then, changing the topic, he enquired, "How is your foot today?" 

Mariah blinked. Her foot? She hadn't even thought about that! Mainly because she could not feel pain anymore! She stood up slowly, using the wall to support and steady herself. Taking a deep breath, she took a small step, and waited. When nothing happened, she took another step. It didn't hurt. More boldly now, she pranced around the cave, step by step, without aid. Surely, there was still a slight limp into her step, but at least the pain had subsided. The herb thing really works! Smiling to herself, she turned towards Kai, to see that he too had recovered and was rising up to brush himself off. 

"Are you okay now?" she asked concernedly, moving to where he stood. 

"Yes. You?" 

She nodded, "Uh-huh. Much better," she replied cheerfully, relieved that there was nothing wrong. 

"Good then, you're coming with me." 

"What? Where? Aren't we supposed to start the climb?" 

"Now that you're better, you don't still expect me to wait on you hand and foot, do you? You're going to go pick your own berries for breakfast. I'll show you how." 

Mariah's stomach growled at the mention of food. The rain had prevented them from gathering dinner last night, so they had starved throughout the whole night. Laughing nervously, she smiled weakly at Kai. "Yeah, that's a good idea…" 

Smirking, he motioned her to follow him outside the cave. 

"Ah! Fresh air!" exclaimed Mariah, inhaling the air as she stepped outside. She threw her arms wide open and closed her eyes. It felt so good to just breathe. 

Kai rolled his eyes at the sight of the over enthusiastic girl. Were people always happy and carefree? He never had an opportunity to be blithe. Not with the life he led. 

His tongue felt dry so he decided to find some water to drink. The good thing that came out of all this rain, was that he needn't go all the way back to the river for a refreshment now. All he had to do, was tip a broad concave leaf of a plant and fresh rainwater would be at his dispense. 

"Mariah," he called, and she moved to where he was. "Water," was all he said, and she understood. Eagerly, she rinsed her face with water to freshen up and then brought some pure and refreshing water to her lips. 

"Wow, that was great!" she chimed, grinning. 

Kai ignored her and went straight to the berry bushes that were near the cave. "Blue berries are the safe ones," he instructed, tossing her a berry to demonstrate his point. 

Her quick instincts caught it, and she brought it close to her face to examine it with a frown. "Okay, but you don't have to throw them at me!" she grumbled, walking up to the bush herself. 

"See these?" he asked, holding out a branch of bright red berries, "They may look nice and ripe, but they are actually poisonous…stay away from them." 

She nodded and set forth to collect and eat her meal. 

Kai did the same, gathering and eating, until he felt something pelting on his back. Irritated he turned, to see a sniggering Mariah, trying for dear life to keep herself from bursting out into a fit of giggles. She hid her smile with a hand and pretended to be preoccupied with berries. 

Kai frowned and turned back around. He knew she was up to something. Well, two can play at that game. Snickering, he grabbed a fistful of berries from the bush and whipped around abruptly to pelt them at her, but he was not fast enough, for the moment he turned, he found a bunch of berries hurling towards his face. 

Damn it! 

He ducked and avoided some of the berries, but a good number hit him square in the face with a splat. Fists clenched and teeth gritted, he turned to face Mariah, his now berry-covered complexion turning crimson. 

Mariah's eyes lit up and she burst out laughing, "AHAHAHAHAHA! Oh my gosh, Kai! You should see the expression on your face! It's priceless!" She was laughing so hard that she had to grip her stomach to contain herself. 

Kai was annoyed. How dare she make a mockery out of him? It was unheard of! He, the great Kai Hiwatari! But then, he found himself smirking. It felt good to be included in some fun and to be treated as an equal. It felt good to be treated as a human. With his free hand, he wiped the berry remains off his face. Raising his hand full of berries, he advanced her slowly, growling in a low monotone, "Big mistake, girl, I don't take lightly to sneak attacks." A mischievous smirk was plastered across his face. 

She spotted him and tried to stop laughing to plead her case. Backing away, she said between chuckles, "Now, Kai, don't be too hasty! It was only a joke, you can take a joke right?" she chortled sheepishly. 

Kai's smirk was a grin now, and that…was just plain scary. She let out a yelp before breaking out in a run, with Kai closely behind, hurling fruit at her. They ran around in circles in a childish game of tag, but neither of them cared. It had been a long time since either of them had had any amusement. She giggled as she fled, glancing backwards every few seconds to see if Kai was gaining. Kai had a smug look on his face and continued chasing and flinging berries at her. He didn't even mind that he was missing his target half the time. 

Tripping, she fell, but didn't stop laughing. "Hehehe…Kai, I give up! Do what you want!" she declared holding up her arms in a surrendering notation. 

Kai stopped just before he tripped over her. By now, he was laughing too. He had never known happiness until now; and now that he had a taste of it, he didn't want to let this moment end. Playing along, he readied to hurl what remaining ammunition he had at the helpless, tittering girl. 

Mariah's eyes widened and started slowly shifting herself backwards. "Oh no, Kai, no…anything but the berries! Please, please have mercy!" she begged effortlessly. She covered herself with her hands and giggled, waiting for the strike. 

Kai smiled, and was about to throw, when he froze in midair. He heard something. An odd sound seemed to be coming from nearby. "Shhh…" he whispered, as he perked his ears to listen more sharply to the sound. Whatever it was, he didn't like it. It sounded dangerous. 

Detecting the change in him, Mariah immediately ceased her laughter. "What's wrong?" she murmured, in a worried tone. Rising, she dusted herself off and shot Kai a confused look. 

He motioned her to stay alert. Stealthily, he lurked, trying to discern what he had heard. Slithering. Hissing. Something moved through the bushes. It was approaching closer and closer. 

And then all of a sudden, it leapt out of the bushes: a long, green snake with markings in a disincentive pattern; no doubt it was poisonous. Its bared jaws were opened and it was aimed straight towards Mariah! 

Mariah shrieked and shielded her face with her arms. She closed her eyes and felt herself being thrown to the ground. Frightened, she sobbed silently and waited for the snake's bite, but it never came. Slowly, she opened her eyes to see Kai kneeling one foot on the floor. One arm was clasped around his right arm, while the other held the body of a limp snake. It was dead, but not soon enough, for it had sunk its teeth into human flesh. Unfortunately, the human flesh belonged to Kai. 

"KAI!" screamed Mariah in panic. She instantly knew what had happened. The snake was going for _her_, but instead, Kai took the fall. She crawled over to him, just in time, for he no longer possessed the strength to stay upright. He collapsed onto her lap, and she threw her arms around him. Two swollen punctured wounds were visible on his arm, while blood trickled down to his elbow. 

"Oh my GOD, KAI! WHY? Why did you do that for?! It should have been me! It should have bitten me!!!" she cried over and over, tears streaming down her cheeks. 

It was quite queer for Kai himself too. Right before the snake flung itself for Mariah, her words from last night scrolled through his head: _"Love is when you care so deeply for another that you would risk anything for the person. When the mere thought of losing him or her is an insufferable reality."_ That was his driving force. He couldn't stand the thought of losing her, for he knew now…he cared for her. His eyelids drooped and he meekly raised his uninjured arm to wipe away a tear from eyes, "Mariah, I…I…" came his coarse whisper, but before he could finish his sentence, his eyes rolled over and he fell unconscious. 

"Kai!" screamed Mariah, frantically shaking his motionless body to awake him, but to no avail. "Wake up, Kai! Please, wake up! Don't leave me…" she cried, embracing him in defeat. She lifted his arm to observe the severity of the wound. It looked fairly deep, and the poison was spreading fast. She had to do something before it was too late. 

Rising to her feet with a determined expression, she suppressed her sobs, and proceeded to lift Kai over her shoulders. Struggling against his weight and her newly healed ankle, she prudently dragged him back towards the cave. Many a time, she felt as if she was going to collapse herself, but a strong will kept her moving onward. She refused to give up on him, refused to believe that there was nothing she could do. She would find a way to help him retain his consciousness and get rid of the poison. 

Finally, they returned to the cave. Gently, she leaned him against the wall and proceeded to check his arm. Kai's face was pale from having lost blood, but when Mariah saw the gash, she herself went pale too. 'How could this have happened? Why weren't we more careful? Why couldn't he have let it bite me instead?' she asked herself furiously. More tears brimmed her eyes. 

Tenderly, she wiped away the blood that had trailed down his arm. Her hands were shaking as she frantically thought of a way to save him. They were in the middle of nowhere; there were no hospitals nearby. No doctors, no pharmacists… no medication whatsoever. 

Unless… 

Her eyes widened suddenly as she remembered something. The herb he had used on her ankle! She had carried some with her! Hurriedly, she produced it from her pockets and examined it with a sceptical look. She didn't know if it would do the trick, since it wasn't the same kind of injury…he was poisoned after all. But she remembered he said that it would heal injuries, not specifying what kind, meaning poison wasn't an exception. But what if…something went wrong? Nevertheless, she had to try. There was nothing else she could do besides sit there and let him die, and that was something she absolutely refused to do. The green plant was her only hope. The fate of Kai rested in her hands. 

A fleeting look at his arm and she realized that it was not all that easy, for what good was the herb if the poison was still there? She doubted it would annul the deadly substance. She had one option, and that was to drain out it, using her own mouth to suck it out… 

However, there was a catch. By exposing herself to the poison, there was a slight chance that she could be infected by it too. If, by any chance, she had swallowed some of the poison while sucking it out, it would be transmitted to her. 

A firm look settled on her face. She had to do this. It was the only way she could save Kai, and there wasn't enough time to think of any other way. Besides, if it weren't for him, she would have been the one in his position…the poison was rightfully hers. 'I owe him this much. He has already saved my life more than once…' she thought, referring to her ankle, 'I wouldn't be here if it weren't for him. He never abandoned me when I was hurt, so now I won't abandon him. Even if it means risking my own life, I will save him!' 

She stopped short. Random thoughts whirred through her mind like a speeding train, 'I would risk my life for Kai…I want to save him…I care about him...' She gasped as she finally realized what it all concluded to: she loved him, truly and earnestly. She had been denying it, but now in this time of distress, all became clear. There were no false feelings. Love for the stoic, blue-haired boy had grown in her all this time, and she had not known it. And now, she finally understood just how much he meant to her. 

A tear dripped of her face and fell onto his arm. Leaning down, hovering above the wound, she pushed her hair that fell around her face out of the way and took a deep breath. "Kai…you will be all right…I promise you," she whispered confidently, and without another wasted moment, she brought her lips over the wound. Drawing the tainted blood into her mouth, and then spitting it out on the ground, she noticed that the blood was dark, closer to black than red. She repeated this process until the colour of his blood became natural again. 

When she was finished, she felt slightly dizzy. Standing up clumsily on her feet, she effortlessly wiped at her mouth with her sleeve. For some reason, she felt tired, barely able to even support her own weight. Stumbling outside, she found some water from the leaves' reserves and rinsed her mouth of the blood. 

Heading back for the cave, she picked up the herb leaves and forced herself to chew them up to a paste for Kai. It was true that she still hated the bitterness, but all she had to do, was think of Kai and it would be as sweet as candy. She could withstand anything now. A minute later, she spat it out on her hand and smeared it on his infected arm. With her free hand, she reached up and undid her pink bow that held her hair and fastened it firmly around the medicated wound. She smiled faintly, 'Now we are even,' she thought, referring to his scarf that he had tied around her foot. 

For the rest of the day, she had a splitting headache. She felt woozy, exhausted even, but nonetheless, she stayed awake to tend to Kai. She would bring water and gently drip it to his mouth to keep his lips moist. Sometimes he would break out in a sweat, almost as if he was battling against something, and she would be there wiping at his forehead. All the while, she prayed that the herb was doing its job and that Kai would be all right again. It worried her to see him like this. 

Finally, night fell. Mariah sombrely ate a few berries for dinner, but she hardly had the appetite. It was chilly, but she did not know how to operate Dranzer, so she didn't start a fire. Besides, by now, her head was officially not functioning properly; she was afraid she'd set fire to the whole cave. Tenderly, she covered him with his coat, giving him a warm smile. "You need it more than I do," she mumbled softly. 

Gripping her head, she settled beside Kai, on the left side, where he wasn't injured. She yawned and leaned her head against his shoulder. "Kai…you shall live; I will not let you leave. I won't give up hope on you, and you better not either," she murmured into his ear. Taking one final look at his still body, her eyelids drooped, and she fell asleep, but not before whispering a barely audible "I love you". 

Her dreams were all of silent prayers, hoping for Kai to awaken the following day and for him to be all right. Snuggling closer to him, she slept contently, regardless of the fact, that by dawn's first light, there was a possibility that she would be in an eternal slumber, a slumber to which she would never awaken. 

It was all in the hands of fate now. 

  
*~*~*

A/N: Whew! Done another chappie! This one was relatively long...I liked this chappie, it was fun writing it! Hope you found it plausible as well! Evil midterms are coming next week...hafta go study :( I despise schoolwork...Well, until I update again! 

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade. Just wondering... How come the characters don't have to study for exams? Even so, how come they don't have to go to school?! It's not fair that I should have to suffer while they go on world tours! 


	13. Revelation

Unforeseen Romance   
By: Lady Sapphire 

AN: I am slow. I admit it. But it's not my fault! If you must blame something, blame school! During the past 2 months or so (I've lost count) I've been preparing for this major presentation and research project. (It was worth 30% of my mark! How can I ignore something that huge?!) Do you know how much I hate presentations?! I can't talk in front of an audience...scared as hell... And then not too far from that, came the final examinations... Well, it's all over now, school's out for the summer! ^_^ Now to work on this story, plus a few other ideas I have in mind ;)   
(BTW, if anyone cares, I got 55/60, which translates to like 27% out of 30%, for that assignment! I'm so happy I didn't _totally_ screw it up!) 

Here's the deal: I split up another chapter :P...I originally planned this and the next one (that I am still trying to write) as one part, but it was growing too long and I really wanted to update, so I cut it. If I'd kept it as one, it'd be over 4000 words, probably nearing 5000 O_o...but I got bored of typing so... 

Chapter 13: Revelation

It was close. He could feel its presence drawing nearer and nearer, slithering across the dirt ground, twisting menacingly, moving stealthily beneath the underbrush. It was approaching, a long, overgrown, venomous snake, deadly with the pierce of a sharp fang. 

He knew it was coming…but where? Pivoting with alert senses, he surveyed his surroundings, memorizing each object. He had to be prepared for its fatal blow. There stood the girl, bedazzled by his cautious motions, but he did not intend to frighten her with news of a deadly lurking reptile. 

Then, it all made sense. The girl! It would strike the girl, his current and only weakness. The snake knew; it was taunting him, purposely aiming for the unsuspecting victim. 

Ha, but he'd show it. He'd show that damned reptile that he would not let it have its way. He would protect her at all costs…even if it meant his own life. A voice rang throughout the air; it was her voice. She spoke the same words as the night before, about love and emotions. Suddenly, all became clear. This was more then just a feud between a snake and himself; he loved her, and it had taken him all this time to realize it. All the insults, their fights…it was all a cover up of true, hidden emotions. And now that it was realized, it may be too late, for the snake's descent was upon them. 

He ran towards her, the only objective was to save her. But, something was wrong. He felt his feet move, but it was like he was frozen in time. He was neither moving forward nor backwards. He reached out to her, crying out her name, but he had no voice. It was like crying into deep oblivion, where existence was void. The world around him turned pitch black, while the only light remained upon the pink-haired girl, whose back was turned. It seemed as if the predicament with time was also affecting the snake, for it fell, slowly and painstakingly, always approaching but never reaching its target. 

The girl now turned, whipping a head of pink hair gracefully around. Golden trance-like eyes now met his. A certain look of regret mixed in with fear and resentment could be seen in her eyes. She spoke, but he could not hear, and then slowly the image of her figure disintegrated, gradually fading into thin air. Kai yelled out, extending an arm to reach for her, but it was hopeless for all was lost. 

The snake still poised in midair, now froze. Slowly it turned in a curious manner towards the immobile boy. It gave a hiss, baring its teeth, and then it performed the most peculiar action. It grinned. Oh, but it wasn't an amiable grin, it was devious, malicious grin, almost as if it were mocking him… 

  
*~*~*

A gasp filled the air. The blue-haired boy with the blue-marked face woke up in a cold sweat. It took him a moment to revitalize his surroundings and to realize he had just woken up from a deep sleep. It was just a dream, a nightmare, merely a figment of the imagination. But it seemed so real… 

Had it really happened? Yes, he was certain it had…and he was certain that Mariah wasn't hurt. He had saved her just in time…hadn't he? His head ached when he tried to think, but he found that he couldn't move either arm to quell the pain. His right arm felt numb, alien to sensation, but his left arm seemed to be pinned down by an inexplicable weight. He looked down to see that the pink-haired girl sleeping soundly against his arm. A calm serene expression graced her soft features. 

Was she asleep? Or…had she fallen victim to the snake after all and this was beyond mortal sleep? Had he failed to save the only one he had ever cared about fall to the clutches of death? 

"Mariah!" whispered Kai, with a frantic fury in his eyes. He willed his arms to move and held her by the shoulders. Shaking her wildly, he attempted to awake her, but it was no use. She would not awaken. Soft strands of brilliant pink hair swayed with the shaking motion, free from their usual confinement to the pale ribbon. Her head rolled dully in time with the motion. Bright golden eyes would not reveal themselves. 

Then, something unusual caught his eye. Something bounded his right arm…something _pink_. He recognized it at once to be the eminent pink ribbon of the sleeping girl, but how did it end up around his arm, and not her hair? 

Grasping his arm, a sudden pain sprang through it, and all of yesterday's remininces came flowing back. He had saved her, but with the price of his own safety. But, he didn't care at that time. He had one objective and that was to keep her safe. And he had succeeded, the proof being the wound, which he adorned. 

He glanced at the floor of cave and saw a stem of the healing herb he had used on her ankle…and dried blood staining the ground. The sight of the herbs didn't bother him, in fact it made him proud that he had taught her something useful, but he paled at the sight of the blood. Closer examination concluded that, the blood was not normal. It was poisoned. It didn't take long for Kai to piece the pieces together and figure out what had happened. She must have tried to save his life! 

Kai's eyes widened in realization and in shock. She couldn't have done that! How could she be so stupid?! Doesn't she know that in order to save him, she now might have absorbed some of the poison herself? And the sole purpose of him taking the bite for her was that she wouldn't get hurt! It was all in vain… 

"Mariah, wake up!" he hissed desperately, shaking her in the process. He did not want to bear losing her. Not after saving her. "How could you? Foolish girl! I never asked you to do anything! I didn't want your help…Mariah…" He embraced her, eyes closed. It would have seemed as if he were holding back tears…but he was probably just having a moment to think alone. 

Abruptly, her eye twitched ever so slightly, unbeknownst to Kai. Mariah had awoken from a very peculiar dream indeed. She was on a boat, a rowboat sailing across the river. She had almost reached the other end, when she heard someone calling. It was Kai's voice. She had been left him behind! She had to go back, she couldn't leave without him. However there was no turning back. She was still lightly floating. In a desperate attempt, she flung herself into the water and swam back to shore…to awake to the reiteration of her name. 

Slowly her eyes fluttered up. It took a moment for her vision to clear, and when it did, she found herself staring at Kai's mourning countenance. Lifting up an arm, she stroked his cheek, caressing it with the back of her hand. 

Kai jumped with a start and opened his eyes to meet her radiant gold orbs. 

Mariah shot up from her position. She had just realized that he was holding her in his arms. It wasn't the fact that she was being held that stirred her, but the fact the he _could_ actually hold her. A smile spread across her face, "Kai! You…you're alive!" she exclaimed, bring her other hand to touch his other cheek, proving to herself that she wasn't dreaming. 

"Oh, thank God you're alright," she breathed, throwing her arms around him, and burying her face into his chest, sobbing softly. "I thought I had lost you…" 

Astonishment strew across his face. Wasn't he holding a lifeless body just a second ago? But then again, he never _did_ check her pulse to determine her state. He had just assumed she had died, seeing the blood on the ground. Relief and joy flushed through every corner of his body as he realized the truth: no one had died from the snake encounter. 

Absent-mindedly, he began stroking her sleek hair in an attempt to calm her. 

"Mariah…" he mumbled. He wanted to say something, he knew he should, but he didn't know what. He held her for few more seconds before he finally spoke. "Thank you…for saving my life but-" he paused and gripping her shoulders, he pulled her away to give her a stern look. "You should have never tried that stunt. Do you realize that you could have ended up with the poison?" he questioned, firmly looking through her eyes. 

Mariah nodded. 

"Then why did you?" 

Silence. Gazing into piercing eyes, Mariah knew her answer already. But was it the right time to admit to it? And how would he react? She was certain he did not feel the same way. How could he? He was always cold and emotionless. She was sure that he had saved her only to protect her, like he has done from the start. 

Or had he? 

"Because…you saved me first. I wouldn't be here if you hadn't taken the bite; the snake should have gotten me, not you. I wanted to return the favour for all the times you have saved me. Thank you, Kai…" she said finally, flushing. It wasn't exactly the answer she had in mind, but it was what came out of her mouth. "Why did you save me in the first place then? If you knew the poison could kill you, then why did you risk yourself for me?" she asked, skilfully reverting the question back to its interrogator. 

Another silence hung in the air. This time, it was Kai's turn to ponder. His mind urged him to say it was simply a reaction, a swift act of instinct, an impulse of nature that he pushed her out of the way. But his heart told him otherwise. His heart told him it was something more; that he should stop denying it and just tell her the truth. 

In the midst of his inward struggle, the question was remained unanswered, but Mariah didn't care. All she cared about was that he was safe. Wrapping her arms around him again tightly, she smiled and buried her face in his chest. "Kai, I'm just so glad that you are okay…promise me something?" she inquired, looking up at him. 

Kai, relieved that he was let off the hook, raised a curious eyebrow. "Hm?" he questioned, looking at the girl that had protectively encircled her arms around him. He didn't mind, in fact, he liked it. 

"_Never_ try to save my life again…not if it means risking your own," she declared, only half-jokingly. 

An amused expression broadened across his face. It was something he could never promise, that was for certain. She meant too much to him to give up on her. Instead of agreeing, he asked, "Why? Do you want to die?" 

"No…" she started, unsure of what to say. She pulled back from him and looked into his piercing eyes, and all of a sudden she could feel tears brimming. She sniffed, using all of her will power to hold them back. There was no way she would let Kai see her cry. "It's just that I…I don't want you to get hurt…not because of me…" 

"Why?" he asked. He was curious to know what she was thinking. How _did_ she feel about him? Did she save him just because he was a friend? Or was there more than meets the eye? 

"I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you because of me…if I'd failed to save you…" she said softly, becoming a bit uneasy with his questions. 

"Why?" he pressed on. He knew he must have sounded annoying, but knowing her temper, he knew she wouldn't last out much longer. She was bound to explode, revealing everything he wanted to know. 

God, was he irritating. Frustrated, she shouted, "Because…because I love you, okay?!" but the moment those words left her lips, she gasped and placed her hands over her mouth, backing away. She hadn't meant to blurt it out, but he had tricked her! A blush crept through her cheeks as she tried to cover herself, "…what I meant to say was that…well I…" she stammered nervously, not daring to meet his gaze, but before she could say anything more, she found her lips pressed against Kai's in a deep kiss. 

  
*~*~*

A/N: Ok, now here I'm going to explain my little dilemma a.k.a the alternate reason why I took so damn long. Do any of you know how difficult it is to keep Kai in-character and have him be romantic?!?! Argh, I spent countless hours pondering over this! How to make him do this, say that, react to this...and at the same time, not totally destroy his character! I couldn't make him too mushy, that isn't Kai; I couldn't make him too cold, that wasn't the point! I wanted him to say "those three little words" but in my opinion, that isn't very Kai-like, so I had to think of something for him to say that meant somewhat the same thing, but just not using "those" words directly....*faints* This whole scene has killed me! X_x I tried...I can't say I didn't...I really TRIED! Whether or not I succeeded, you be the judge, but I have this sinking feeling that I totally bombed. 

*takes a deep breath* Now that's off my chest! Oh and by the way, all this I've been ranting about...occurs in the next chapter... 

*everyone sweatdrops -_-"* 

Sorry! I am almost done typing it up...it'll be up soon....I think....THANK YOU everyone for all your reviews and patience! 

*~*~*   
Nightswift: Hey, I've watched the "The Return of The Condor Heroes" before! Actually, I have the whole series recorded on tape! And watch it every so often! I've also seen the first one, with their parents, and the last of the trilogy, "Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre". Lol, and to be honest, from Chinese TV series is where I got that idea with the snake. I love these Chinese romance stories, they're so cute! Especially the olden time ones. I can watch them over and over...^_^ 

Oooo! I have the new Harry Potter book! I'm gonna go and read it now! Bye! (It's so cool! I love the Harry Potter books!) 


	14. Tears of a Phoenix

Unforeseen Romance   
By: Lady Sapphire 

Author's notes: Well, I'm glad that most of you thought that Kai's character was still intact, but I know you won't be saying that after you read this chapter! *nervous laugh* What can I say? I TRIED! (and probably failed...) 

Chapter 14: Tears of a Phoenix

The instant those words filled Kai's eardrums, a powerful and relieving warmth, similar to that of when he had kissed her for the first time, flooded his senses. It brought him joy, happiness, and solace to know that he was loved, and loved by the same girl whom he cared for as well. Call him a coward, but he knew he could never admit to his own feelings. He was just glad that she admitted to it first. His pulse sped up; he couldn't control himself. He needed to show her how he felt. He needed to taste her warm lips once again. 

Mariah tensed, eyes growing wide at first, but then relaxed. She closed her eyes, tasting the tender kiss. She didn't struggle, nor did she protest. Gathering herself against his chest, she closed her eyes and returned the kiss with her own, savouring each moment. It was one she would remember for always. 

After the kiss had broken off, she stared at him, surprised. "Kai? W-what?" she stammered in an attempt to ask for an explanation. Her heart raced and her breathing, a rapid and wild pace. Her head spun with thoughts, as she sought for reason and truth, but being in the fervent, dazed state she was in, her brain seemed to fail her. 

"Thank you, Mariah…for telling me how you feel," he said, flashing her a rare smile, "I know that I could never have said it first…" 

Mariah was stunned. What did he mean 'he could never have said it'? Did…did that mean he felt the same? That he loved her as much as she loved him? Her furrowed brow mixed with her shock expression clearly showed her confusion and uncertainty. She opened her mouth to ask him again, but before she could speak again, her lips were captured once again in Kai's, removing all doubt. 

Kai had noticed the stoned expression that emerged across her face and knew that it was probably pretty hard to believe what he was trying to say. It completely contradicted the reputation he had set out to make for himself, a reputation that he had formed for himself a long time ago, the day his grandfather came into his life. He believed he was never loved and never will experience such weak emotions. Thus, making himself cold, transforming his very nature into a cruel, heartless soul. Alas, everything has changed now. He was loved and now that he knew, there was no need for him to keep up this masquerade. He could shed his outer skin and finally show his true colours. 

Instead of repeating what he said or waiting for her to question him, he leaned forward to capture her tender lips once again, and Mariah finally understood it wasn't a lie. Nor was it a reverie. Kai meant what he said…he had told her he loved her too. Closing her eyes, she deepened the kiss, which lasted a few minutes before it ended. 

Embraced in his safe, warm arms, Mariah leaned her head back against his chest and sighed blissfully. It was all too perfect. She wished it would never end. The forlorn old cave seemed so much more welcoming now that she had Kai. They knew they had to set out on the climb sooner or later, but for now, they chose to stay in the peaceful tranquility, just enjoying the presence of the other. 

"Do you know when I started loving you?" asked Mariah, looking up at the man who held her. Looking thoughtful, she continued, "I think it was when you first bandaged up my ankle. I always that you were an insolent, self-centred jerk who didn't care about anyone or anything except for yourself," she giggled at the sight of Kai screwing up his face at the thought of his image. "But that day when you came back to help me, my image of you shattered…and I grew to love you even more every time you did something kindly." 

She chuckled, "Of course, I refused to believe that I would fall for someone like you, but that feeling wouldn't go away. The instant I saw that you had taken the bite from the snake, I gave up trying to shun what I felt for you. Something in me just clicked, and I knew I loved you and had to save you, no matter the cost," she declared, snuggling close to him. 

Kai smiled. So that was her story. Oddly, it seemed as if she shared the same uncertain and denying emotions he did at the start. It was strange hearing her side of the story, and yet it reassured him to know that he wasn't the only one who felt like that. 

A moment's silence elapsed as Kai tried to think of something to say. He finally decided to tell her about how he felt when they first encountered each other. 

"Remember that day when we first met in that alley a few years back where Tyson beybattled Kevin?" he paused and Mariah nodded. "Since that day, I always felt as if there was a bond between you and I. I felt connected to you somehow. You were strong, I have to admit, Galux startled me a bit.... _A BIT_," he accentuated, noticing her triumphant grin. 

"Tyson wouldn't stop pestering me after that. He claimed that I had a thing for you. Ha! Like I'd ever give _him_ the satisfaction that he was right, that annoying little pinhead...GRRR...I had to threaten to stuff a bowling ball down his throat if he didn't shut up…" he recalled with a scowl. Mariah laughed heartily. It was true that those two got along like fire and water. "He _did_ shut up, by the way," Kai added, matter-of-factly. 

She giggled even more by his last remark. When her laughter finally died down, and silence had reigned once again, she asked a question that had been bothering her for some time, "Kai? I want to ask you, why? Why did you choose me?" It was not that she didn't want to be loved by Kai, no, she loved him with all her heart and was absolutely thrilled to be loved in return, but she had to know. It was just something that was nagging at the back of her head. 

"Hmm…" he murmured, carefully selecting his words. "I guess you reminded me a little of myself - proud, haughty, arrogant...all except for one difference, and that was innocence. You still retained your innocence. While we were unconscious the day we fell, you had recalled a memory of your mother. The innocence I experienced through your memory, I could not forget. I had no memories of my own parents; no memory of a pleasant childhood and innocence has long been demolished, although there was a time when it did exist. But I wanted to protect yours. I guess I wanted, in a way, to learn to regain my own." It was hard trying to explain. 

"What do you mean?" asked Mariah curiously. 

Kai thought for a moment, then answered, "I believed that if I protected you and all that was good in you, maybe some of it would come back to me, or perhaps I can recuperate that knowledge, the innocence…" 

She shook her head. "No, Kai. You haven't lost your innocence, you never have. You just need a reminder of how wonderful life could be if you just released all your pain, all your anger and hatred…just let it go. And as long as you have something to live for each day, some happy, blissful memory that you can hang on to, innocence will always be within you no matter what happens," she told him, gently caressing his cheek. She could never imagine this side of Kai: soft and warm, innocent and gentle…just like a kitten. 

"And now I have you…" he smirked, leaning into her hand, enjoying the feel of her gentle touch. 

Mariah flushed, suddenly feeling shy by his tone of voice. 

He continued to further strengthen his explanation. "In these past few days, you have shown me so much: how to love, and to be loved in return…and for the first time in many years, I tasted innocence. You showed me your strength, your compassion, your gentleness…I suppose it was what drew me to you, besides the fact that you are the first girl I have ever met that had superior blading skills," he said. Mariah was blushing by now. She had never received so many compliments all at once like that before. She beamed, her face aglow. But, in another instant, her glee died down and a sombre expression overtook her features. 

"How come you never said anything before, or at least showed it? You were so rude and mean sometimes…I thought you despised me…" she whispered, in a hurt tone, lowering her head. 

Kai sighed, and lifted her chin to meet her bright golden eyes, "I…I was afraid...afraid of what I felt, for I did not know what it was. Most of the times, I would use anger to cover up my confused or embarrassing moments. I denied my feelings for you. I tried to avoid you, but seeing how much it hurt you, something inside of me wouldn't let me keep that façade up for long. I told myself that I was only protecting you for Ray, who is a friend. I was only doing him a favour by taking care of you." He hoped she would understand how he felt back then. "But as time passed, even I didn't believe myself anymore. I could not lie to myself anymore…when the snake pounced on you, I knew I loved you, and always have from the very start. " 

A small smile widened on her face and the beginnings of tears started to form in her eyes. "Kai…" she whispered and fell into his embrace once again. 

Who would have thought that that hotheaded, insulting jerk would now be holding her protectively in his arms? She wouldn't have, not in a million years, and certainly not three days ago, when all she wanted to do was give him a great big smack for being such a rude moron. Now that she had seen the kinder, softer side of him, she couldn't go back to picturing the cold, hard demeanour. And personally, she liked this side of him much better. 

Rocking back and forth steadily, the new couple remained in the cave for a while enjoying the serene ambiance and each other. The sky guaranteed a day of calm fair weather. Sunlight infiltrated the gloominess of the dank cavern and brightened up the area. Even the birds seemed to agree that the day was going to be delightful, as cheerful melodies filled the air. As for Kai and Mariah, all the happiness to last them a lifetime was fulfilled that very morning. 

Yet, something was still incomplete in this scenario. Something that Kai had forgotten as of late, but was suddenly forced to remember as it was too important a thought to be relinquished from his memory. It sprung back into his mind like new fuel to a burning fire. Yes, it was his 'mission', the horrid thing that started it all. 

He grew nervous all over again. Telling her that he loved her was one thing, but to jump to the next step, marriage? It was too far, and too fast. She would never agree to it. However, it wasn't like she was a total stranger, he had known her for two years now. As well, she understood him better than anyone else, since he had dropped his defences and let her read his soul. She knew about his past, his life, and the treachery of his grandfather's mission…things he didn't normally reveal to other people. Most of all, he wanted her. He wanted her to be the one he shared his life with. He was sure of that. 

Taking a breath, he started, "Mariah?" 

She looked up and waited for what he had to say. 

"When Grandfather assigned me my mission the other day, my head was so clouded with worry and spite that I did not notice that the answer to my dilemma was by my side this whole time," he smiled. 

A dazed look appeared across her face. "You mean...you...I..." she mumbled and as a blush slowly stretched across her face. 

"Will you, Mariah? Will you help me complete this mission and help me retain Dranzer?" he interrupted, anxiously. He looked deep into her eyes, unwavering, and hoping that she would understand that he was sincere and that his heart was true. 

Face still flushed, she smiled gently and took his hand in hers. "Oh Kai, you know I would do anything in my power to help you. I know how much Dranzer means to you, and I, myself, would be devastated if my Galux was stripped from me. So you needn't ask, for I already agree." 

But that wasn't enough for Kai. He felt guilty, almost as if he were forcing her into this. He didn't want this to be all about the stupid mission, he wanted it to be about love. He shook his head slowly, "No…no, not only that. I don't want you to think that I want you to marry me just because of my bit beast. Mariah, I want you to marry me because I _love_ you." 

Tears erupted and she threw her arms around his neck in a joyful sob. "Kai…as I've already said, I _will_ marry you. I do want to help you out, but also because I love you too," she said softly. 

And with that vow, the promise was sealed with a kiss. 

  
*~*~*

The couple spent most of the morning in that cave. By the time noon had arrived, Mariah decided that she was hungry and the two of them wandered out to collect food. It seemed as if their energy was recovered and they could both stand on two feet. Kai decided that if they started the climb now, perhaps they could reach the top by late afternoon or early evening. With that prediction, it was decided that it was best that the sooner they got out, the better. As much as nature was appreciated, a change of scenery was what they both needed. 

Mariah climbed first, Kai following close behind, prepared to catch her in case she fell. Her ankle was still not healed to a hundred percent, so there was a slight wobble in her step. He kept a close eye on how she was holding out and steadied her balance every now and then. Once in a while, he would ask if she was all right, and if she wanted to turn back, but each time, she refused. She insisted that she could still climb and that it would be a waste of time if they went back down. 

Nevertheless, although she claimed to be all right, what she really felt was clearly otherwise. Her headache had returned, and she was beginning to feel faint. Her ankle was throbbing by now from all the climbing, and the heat wasn't helping much either. But she wouldn't let Kai know. He would worry, and she didn't want him to worry about her right now. Besides, they were almost there…just a few more steps and they'd have reached the top. She could almost feel the paved road once again… 

She lifted her foot off the final ridge of the cliff and stepped onto the solid, hard ground. Finally they had made it! After what seemed like years of isolation from civilization, they had at long last made their way back. Panting, she slid to the ground to rest and silently celebrate this moment of triumph. 

"I never thought it'd feel so great to see roads again…" mused Kai, as he just reached the top as well. He knelt beside her and smirked. 

"Yeah, it feels so great to be back…" she agreed, smiling, but then flinched as she felt a twinge in her head. 

Kai noticed this. Putting a hand on her shoulder, he asked worriedly, "Are you sure you're okay? I can carry you, if you want. We still have to travel until we find a phone, so I can call my Grandfather to send someone for us." 

She smiled at him, but shook her head. "No, I can manage. I'm fine; it's just a slight headache, that's all. Nothing too big." She didn't want to be a burden to him. It would slow down their progress if he had to carry her. She got up to her feet, as if proving to him that she was fine. "Come on, let's not waste anymore time then. Let's go." 

Still uncertain of her word, he arose slowly. His instincts told him that she was simply lying in order to not worry him, but if she wasn't going to tell him, then what else could he do? He shrugged, and led the way, Mariah following closely behind. Every now and then, he would check over his shoulder to see how she was doing. 

Just like how it was unbelievably rainy two nights ago, it was as equally sunny today. The relentless sun glared down on them, as they trekked down the road. This was not a pleasant thing for Mariah. The heat just weakened her condition, adding an even greater load for her. She tried her best to keep up, but now her vision had become blurred. Her headache intensified, and her dizziness had returned. Her whole body ached now, feeling as if her insides were made of lead weight. She desperately wanted to fall to the ground and sink into a long, deep slumber. 

"Kai…" she murmured softly. 

The world around her spun, as her eyelids drooped and her vision faded. Whether it had been from the poison, the exhaustion, the heat, or perhaps from a combination, but she finally gave way, losing all consciousness. It had been too much for her. She collapsed weakly towards the ground; her flaccid form motionless and almost…lifeless. 

Kai had turned when he heard his name, only to see her numbly faint. A feeling of terror overtook his body, as he rushed to her side, catching her limp body just before it hit the ground. 

"Mariah!" he yelled, shaking her fiercely in an attempt to wake her. "You said you were all right, you lied!" he cried, panic and fear apparent in his eyes. 

Guilt slowly crept its way in. "This is all my fault…I shouldn't have suggested we climb today, I shouldn't have listened to you when you said you were fine, I should have persevered to carry you when you refused, I should have…" he rambled on in systematic tone, embracing her tightly in his arms. Closing his eyes to keep away tears, he mentally punished himself. 

"Mariah…no…please don't go…I'm sorry…just hang on…for me…" he whispered into her ear. He knew that he was accomplishing nothing by sitting there, grieving. He needed to get her to a hospital quickly, and his best bet was to reach a phone and contact his grandfather. Determinedly, he picked up her unconscious body and continued their journey, but this time at a much quicker pace. 

He found a payphone not too far away. Carefully he set her down, leaning her against a rock, while he went back to the phone to dial the number. 

He hadn't brought any change with him, but that didn't matter for he could use call collect. Hastily, he dialled the number, which brought him to an operator who transferred his call to the Hiwatari manor. 

  
*~*~*

"Hello?" said the old butler into the receiver when he picked up the phone. 

"Is this the Hiwatari residence? There is a Kai Hiwatari calling, would you like to accept the call?" said the operator. 

"Master Kai?! Yes! Quick, put him on!" he shouted, and quickly placed the receiver aside to inform the Master. "Master Voltaire! The phone! It's Master Kai!" he shouted up the stairs. 

"Very well..." murmured the operator. 

A few seconds later, grandfather was reunited with grandson. 

The moment they were connected Voltaire yelled, "Kai?! Where in the _hell_ have you been??? Come home this instant!" 

"Grandfather," said Kai, too frantic to pay any attention to him, "Trace this call, find me, send over a limo. I'm calling from a payphone. Hurry, and send a doctor, a nurse, a surgeon…everything! Just hurry…" he pleaded. He was starting to get hysterical. 

"What?! What happened? Are you hurt? Kai-" but before he could finish, he heard a click and then a dial tone. The line had been disconnected. Kai had hung up. 

Staring blankly at the phone, Voltaire had no other choice but to do as his grandson had said. Silently, he hoped that nothing was wrong with Kai. Quickly he sent out orders to hunt down his location. 

Kai hung up the phone and knelt down beside Mariah. Caressing her head, he leaned her body against himself in an embrace. Closing his eyes, he rested his head atop hers and stroked her tenderly, whispering over and over, "It's going to be okay, Mariah, it's going to be okay…" 

Without realizing, he did something he hadn't done for a long time. He let himself cry. A single, glistening tear rolled off his cheek and glided on to her pale complexion. 

  
*~*~*

Note: Hehehe I love being evil! First, I have them admit love, and then I separate them again! Oh this is so much fun! What do you think will happen? Actually, I've already told you, if you noticed it and made the connection ^_^...Should I say? Hmm...hehe ok, notice the title of this chapter? The phoenix refers to Kai because of his Dranzer. Anyone know the myth of the phoenix and what its tears do? *nods* don't tell anyone, if you know! For those who don't, a little research for ya! 

And I'm sorry if I totally desecrated Kai...I didn't mean to. I just couldn't think of another way to do it...so, yeah. There's, I think, three more chapters left to wrap up this story. But I have many new ideas for stories I want to start! 

~*~  
To £wan421: Tu ne dois pas écrire en anglais si tu ne veux pas ^_^ Mais ton anglais est très bien! Tu peux m'écrire en français, j'ai une connaissance raisonnable de cela. (Peut-être mon français est plus mauvais...-_-) Merci beaucoup pour tes revues! J'espère que tu as aimé ce chapitre! 

Oh. My. Gosh. I finished Harry Potter OotP...and I still can't believe Rowling did that!!! I knew someone was going to die, but never in a million years did I imagine _Him_! Noooo....I don't want him to die! *cries* Bring him back! Rowling better have a good reason for killing him... Anyway, sorry about that, just needed to get that off my chest...I don't want to spoil the book for any of those who haven't read it yet, so I'll go now...so long! *goes off mumbling about the injustice, 'Why, I ask you, WHY?!'* 


	15. Reconciliation

Unforeseen Romance   
By: Lady Sapphire 

Notes: Alright, you people are probably going to yell at me for taking forever to finish this chapter, but it's not my fault!!! I promised myself I would work on this in the summer...but with the summer season...you know...I get lazy...-_-" And then school started and homework is piling again and I lost the inspiration to write! So I apologize, I really do. Thanks for being patient, for all those who were awaiting for this. Let's see, I will dedicate this chapter to my friend, mari: can you see where the inspiration for the name of this chapter came from? 

Chapter 15: Reconciliation

It wasn't long after the phone call when help arrived. Within ten minutes, about three to five black limos could be seen approaching from a distance at a sustainable speed. The sound of the roaring engines replaced the unearthly silence that had befallen the pair, and quite frankly this brash and surly noise was the one that Kai desired to hear at the moment. 

He let out a sigh of relief, glad that his grandfather could find them, but shook his head in disbelief. Sometimes his grandfather overdid things just a bit. They were only two people, why on earth would they need five separate cars? 

One by one, the limos stopped in front of where they rested, and the door to the first vehicle opened and out stepped the old butler with a broad smile of relief. 

"Master Kai! Thank goodness we've found you!" he greeted enthusiastically, as he moved forward towards the young master. A weight suddenly disappeared from his heart. "We've all been so worried about you! Even the Master! Oh, but I'm afraid the Master couldn't come with us. He had to take care of something back at the mansion." 

For a split second, it appeared that Kai was affected by his Grandfather's worry for him, but in the next, he was the same emotionless person again. "Hn," replied Kai, unfazed. It was typical. He knew his grandfather wouldn't come anyway and wasn't expecting it. He stood up, lifting the unconscious girl in his arms. 

"Now Master Kai, what's wrong? Where are you hurt? As you can see, with me are some of the best medical personnel there is," the butler said swinging and arm around to demonstrate his point. 

It was the first time Kai had noticed a group of people in white uniforms, hovering about. So that's what the other limos were for. 

"Alfred, it's not me, it's Mariah…" he said softly, glancing down at her pale face. Without another word, he walked past the old man to address the medical crew. He observed each on-looking face with a serious and profound stare. 

"Four days ago, she twisted her right ankle when we fell off a cliff. Two days later, we encountered a venomous serpent that attacked us. I was bit…but in order to save me, she made the decision to retract the venom through her own mouth, therefore possibly consuming a partial amount in the process. The next day, today, we scaled the cliff to get to where we are, but she passed out, possibly from fatigue, heat, or…the venom," Kai took a breath as he finished explaining the situation. "You will cure her no matter what the costs are," he declared. 

The doctors listened carefully to what the young Master had to say. At first no one objected to the order, but then one by one, they started stating their doubts. 

"Perhaps it is too late…" 

"We need to know the type of poison in order to find the cure for it…" 

"What if we can not rescue her?" 

"If it's poison, then there's a very slim chance she might still be alive…" 

"It'll be quite costly…" 

This angered Kai. How could they think of excuses when Mariah was in this state? "I DON'T CARE WHAT THE COSTS ARE! Whatever you need, obtain it. Anything you need to know, find out. I don't care what you do, just save her! Do whatever is necessary to save her life!" he yelled, passionately. 

The medical staff was stunned by the sudden outburst. All went silent for a few minutes before Alfred spoke, "But Master Kai, who is she? And why must you go out of her way to save her so? It looks to me you have wounds of your own that needs immediate attention as well." 

Kai stopped, and looked at his oldest friend straight in the eye, _"Because I love her…"_, he replied outwardly. He wasn't afraid of his emotions anymore. This was not the time nor place. The fact remained that he truly did care for her, and if stating it out loud would help them, then so be it. 

What a shock it was for them all to hear Kai, the cold and hard-hearted young boy they once knew, openly express emotions of love. It was an occurrence that had never happened before, and to hear those words come out off his mouth was unbelievable. 

Kai remained impervious to the fact that all eyes were on him. Time was a-wasting and who knows what would happen to Mariah if they kept stalling? Each second could be the difference between life and death. Ignoring the silent murmur of the surrounding crowd, he walked passed them and placed her body in one of the vehicles. If those idiots weren't going to help, then he'd save her by himself. And then deal with them later. 

His actions seemed to snap the dazed group back to reality of the situation. A life was on the line and it was their duty as doctors to do what ever was possible. "Mr. Hiwatari, we're sorry. Don't worry. We'll save her no matter what," assured one of the doctors, pulling out a stethoscope and placing it in his ear. The others did the same, and then all at once, they gathered into the single limousine where the girl lay, in order to examine her. 

Reassured that Mariah was in good hands, Kai nodded, letting out a heavy sigh. He was tried. This whole expedition had proven to his Grandfather's missions themselves. It made him wonder whether or not it was all planned from the beginning, but then he thought about the absurdity of it. His grandfather wouldn't put his only heir through near death. He stepped into another car. Alfred got in beside him and told the driver to head home. As the cars sped away, Kai took one last glance at the surrounding wilderness: a place of imprisonment and a place of refuge for them both. Now, it was all just a blurred streak of green behind them. 

"Master Kai, your wounds are not light either. You must let a doctor take a look at that when we get back," said the butler, eyeing thee cuts and bruises on his skin. 

"Hn," replied Kai softly. 

"That pink cloth around your arm… Did that girl do that for you?" he asked gently. 

Kai's expression seemed to soften, as he nodded yes. A subconscious hand went up to touch where she had wrapped his wound. 

"You really do love her…" he murmured. It was still hard to believe. He had watched Kai grow up from a boy and because of how he lived, he didn't think he could love someone with the tenderness he showed today. She must be very special, to be able to influence the young Master so much in that way. Such an unexpected twist of fate for Kai to disappear suddenly and reappear again with someone he cared for more than himself. He prayed for fate to be not unkind as to separate such a strong relationship. "Do not worry, she will be all right," he assured him. 

Kai faced the older man and half smiled. "I know." 

As soon as they arrived at the Hiwatari manor, Mariah was immediately transported into a spare room in the house. Kai was cleaned up, and after a change of clothes, was treated for his wounds. Kai untied the ribbon from his arm so that they could treat the wound and sent a maid to wash it, saying that it did not belong to him and it would be only appropriate to return it to it's owner. Fortunately for him, there were no serious wounds and most of the poison was gone. He explained that it was Mariah that extracted the venom without his approval and that it was her that needed the most attention. He also told them of the remarkable plant they found and that its healing properties are what sustained them all this time. 

The medical crew were quite impressed and decided to send a staff of researchers into the forest to study more of these rare plants. These were not easy to come by, so they had to take this chance. And who knows? This could be he missing ingredient for dozens of medications. Kai was commended for his resourcefulness and thanked for the information he provided. 

After his wounds were wrapped, he demanded to hear a report on Mariah's current status. Her ankle was fine, almost completely healed. She just needed a few days off her feet. Regrettably, when she had used her mouth to draw out the venom, tiny amounts were accumulated in her blood system: tiny, yet significant amounts. That was the reason for her lack of energy that day. However, there was an antidote, and now that it was given to her, she would be all right. A few minutes later, and it might have been too late. The cause of her sudden collapse was exhaustion, which was caused by the poison, the excess heat, and the overexertion of energy she put forward to climb. Right now she needed rest. It might be a few days until she awakens, but all in all, she will make a full recovery. 

Kai let out a sigh of relief. Now that he knew her condition wasn't critical, he could relax and rest up a bit. But his plans were interrupted for there was a knock on the door. His grandfather wanted to see him. It looked as if his long awaited rest would be delayed even more. 

  
*~*~*

When Kai stepped into his grandfather's office, the old man was waiting for him, his back turned and him facing the window. "I trust that you are all right now?" he asked without turning. 

"Yes, grandfather," replied Kai bluntly. He really wasn't in the mood for a lecture. 

"Where have you been?" he questioned. 

'Like you would really care what happened to me…' thought Kai, but nothing was uttered. "I was lost," he replied. 

"Lost? Kai Hiwatari? My, that's shameful," mocked his grandfather, shaking his head. 

"…and wounded," added Kai through gritted teeth. Normally, he would never let his grandfather's sadistic remarks get to him, but after all that he'd been through, he was at his limit. 

"So I see…how careless of you," he murmured, eyeing his wounds and then scanning through the doctor's report on his desk. 

Glaring, as the man before him glanced through some papers he had no interest in, Kai simmered silently in anger. He didn't know what his grandfather's problem was or why he was called here, all that he knew was that he hated him even more now. 

Finally, looking up, he said, "It looks like you've brought a burden here along with you…what is her name?" 

Kai cracked. That final comment just struck a tightened nerve. "She is _*not*_ a burden! While you were the cause for me being lost and wounded ever since I first stepped foot into this house, she is the solution! She is _my_ solution! You, who has raised me my whole life, you know nothing about me! You don't know what I feel, what I think. You treat me like a tool, an object you use to do your dirty work. Never once did you act like a grandfather to me…" exploded Kai, shouting at first and then calming down. "While she, on the other hand, who barely knew who I was before today, understands me better than you ever will! And that is why I have completed your final mission. Mariah has already given her word, my mission is done and I will not work for you anymore," finished Kai, tightening his closed his fists firmly for strength. 

There was an eerie silence between them as Kai stood, heaving slightly, glaring unblinkingly at his grandfather for any change in expression. He received none. His face was completely blank, void of emotion. 

Then suddenly, a smile appeared across his face, which came as a surprise to Kai, for he had never, ever in his life seen his grandfather smile like that out of pure joy. It wasn't expected. He, himself, had been waiting for scolding, yelling, and eventually punishment. He didn't know what to do or say next, so he just stared numbly staring at him, waiting for what he had to say about this. 

"Kai, I am sorry. I never realized how much I mistreated you until Alfred spoke with me about it. If you didn't like it, you should have said something. By submission, you have made yourself vulnerable to me and a Hiwatari is never vulnerable! I hope you remember this lesson. And as for the missions…you won't have to worry about that anymore. Once you are better, we will make arrangements for you to take over my wealth and my estate. I have decided to retire and leave this country," explained Voltaire. 

Kai could not believe any of this was coming from his grandfather. This was not the same grandfather he grew up with. He was changed. For one thing, he was smiling and apologizing, two things he never did. On top of that he was leaving his money, the one thing he really loved, all behind to him. It was all so confusing and strange! Slowly, he replayed his words in his head a few times before it finally sunk in. 

"You look tired now. Go back and rest and we'll talk again once you regain your strength. The doctors said you would be fine and if you're worrying about the girl, she'll be all right too. So return to your room and rest," ordered Voltaire. 

All Kai could do in response was nod. He turned to leave, but his grandfather spoke up once more, "One more thing, Kai. During your absence, I thought about the whole marriage idea and I understand. I retract my previous order, although it looks as if I don't need to," he said with a slight humour in his tone, "However, you can take things slowly. I will not force you to get married immediately." 

Kai turned to face his grandfather with yet another expression of astonishment on his face. Was the man really his grandfather? He had trouble believing so. He nodded to the old man as a sign that he understood what he was being told. Turning once again, he reached for the doorknob and opened the door. Ambling weakly, he left the office and returned to his chambers to think of the scene that had just taken place. 

Voltaire went up to the door to shut it, but not before taking one more glance at the retreating figure. "Sleep well, my grandson," he murmured under his breath and closed the door. 

  
*~*~*

AN: Well! Hope you liked this chapter...it took me an eternity to write it -_-" Only two more parts to go, and I'll try ("try" being the operative word) to finish it off soon. Merry Christmas and happy holidays to everyone! 


	16. Promises To Keep

Unforeseen Romance  
By: Lady Sapphire 

Author's Note: I'm sure you've waited long enough for this chapter! So I'll save my notes, apologies, goodbyes, etc. until the end. Go on and read the FINAL chapter! Enjoy!

Chapter 16: Promises To Keep (Final)

The first thing that Mariah saw when her eyes flew open was a white ceiling. But what happened to the endless sea of green leaves that greeted her sight when she last opened her eyes? She had become accustomed to the overlaying green ceiling, that the white walls gave her a bit of a surprise. It took her a moment before she remembered that they had escaped the forest, but the events that occurred in subsequence were a blur to her. She found herself lying on her back on a soft, warm surface, under thick covers.

'Where am I?' Mariah wondered to herself. Slightly struggling, she pulled herself up to a sitting position, and that's when she realized that she had been asleep on a bed, complete with sheets and pillows, and not on some worn out log in the woods. Her body still ached, but she felt that it was better than before. Upon closer inspection, she discovered that her wounds had been properly treated and that her clothes had been changed, although she could not remember who had been responsible for that.

Glancing around the room, she took a mental photograph of her surroundings. It was a large room with large pieces of furniture surrounding the four walls. A computer desk with a computer, a study desk, a bookshelf with a large collection of books, a television set, closets, wardrobes, the bed itself – they were all exquisite and expensive-looking items. The room itself was incredibly neat and tidy, compared to her own messy room back home. On the wall were a few posters…some of expensive cars, a few rock band groups, a phoenix…

Mariah did a double take. A poster of a phoenix could only mean one thing. Her glance swept over the room again and the object she was looking for caught her eye. She slipped out of the bed and approached the glossy wooden cabinet with glass doors. Sure enough, it was Kai's trophy case, displaying all the Beyblading trophies he had previously won. On the back wall of the case, was a picture of the Bladebreakers from the time when they won the world championships for the very first time. And lying right there at the centre of it all, was the beyblade, Dranzer.

So this was Kai's room.

'Waaah! What am I doing in his _room!_' she panicked frantically. She jumped up from her crouched position, and in doing so, discovered that the clothes she was wearing were not her own. They were new and expensive clothing that she had never seen before in her life, let alone afford them. She let out a soft scream. '_Ahh! Who changed my clothes!_' she asked, blushing madly. Her ignorance of the incidents was what bothered her the most. The last thing she could remember was hiking down that road with Kai, searching for some kind of help and then that's where a void blocked her memory. Concluding that she must have passed out along the way, she reasoned that Kai must have found help, or else she wouldn't be here. Had he carried her? She blushed, 'No, that wouldn't be likely. I bet I'm pretty heavy anyway,' she thought, becoming conscious of her own weight.

And then there was the issue of her clothes. Who had dressed her? She also noticed that her skin was no longer covered in dirt and mud and that she no longer smelled of sweat. She blushed an even deeper red, 'Oh my God, did he bathe me too? I'd die if he did…' she thought, closing her eyes. For some reason, an image popped in her head, causing her to scream out loud of embarrassment, "_Kyaaaaa!_"

Suddenly, an amused laugh filled the room, causing Mariah to whip her head around to face to the source. There stood Kai, leaning against the open door, arms crossed and laughing nonchalantly.

"Kai! You're okay!" she exclaimed, picking herself from the floor to approach him. She was surprised and glad to see him, but also a tiny bit annoyed. "And just what is so funny?" she demanded, placing her hands on her hips and throwing him an intimidating glare. She attempted to regain her composure by pretending that the preceding scene had not happened.

Kai covered his mouth with a hand, attempting to muffle his laughter, but to no success. "Just now, when you screamed…your face was hilarious!"

Mariah blushed. Just how much had he seen? How long had he been standing there watching her? Did he see the whole embarrassing scene? "S-Stop making fun of me!" she cried. "It's not funny!"

"You're right. I thought it was..._cute_," said Kai, who had stopped laughing to give her a charming smile.

Mariah's heart skipped a beat. It was then that she remembered that she had promised that they would become a couple once they escaped the forest. She smiled back shyly.

Nonchalantly, Kai bent over, picked Mariah up, and carried her back to the bed. "You shouldn't move around so much yet."

Again, this caused Mariah to blush deeply all over again. This confirmed her suspicion of whether he was able to carry her or not.

Noticing this, Kai smiled. It was easy to read her thoughts. "Yes, I did carry you, at least into the car and into the house." He decided to tease her a bit more, "And, don't worry, it was the maids who changed your clothes and bathed you."

Mariah's face flushed the deepest red possible. "What!…I didn't…You!…" she stammered. She couldn't find the words she wanted to express through her embarrassment. Instead, she threw him a few quick punches on the arm to vent her frustration. "_Waaaaaaah!_"

Kai smiled at the success of his plot and pulled his arm away gently. "That hurts, you know," he stated calmly.

Mariah scorned. With one last scream of frustration, she pulled the blankets over her head to indicate that she did not want to discuss this anymore as well as to hide her embarrassed, blushing cheeks.

Kai, who was now sitting at the edge of her bed, sighed. "But really, Mariah, I am so relieved that you are alive and safe. You scared me to death when you passed out like that, you know? Thank goodness you're back to your normal and unreasonably cranky self." He chuckled and paused, expecting for her explosive reaction to the comment, but she did not. She did not come up from under the covers, however her ears perked to his mild tone and she grew still and listened.

Continuing, he said, "I want to thank you for what you have done for me in this short time. It has really helped me sort out my thoughts and clear my mind. Because of you, I found a purpose to stand up to my grandfather and the strength I needed to talk with him." He smiled and amused kind of smile and rose from his seated position at her bed. His smile then faded for he knew he had to say what was next. In all actuality, he did not want to tell her what his grandfather had told him, but he knew he had an obligation to inform her of the change. He had, in fact, become accustomed to her presence and did not want her to leave.

"Do you know what he said to me?" he asked, arms crossed and leaning his back against the bedpost. In such a position, he faced the door, and not her face, for he did not want her to see the emotions displayed on his face, which showed reluctance and hesitation. He did not want to make her feel as if she had to stay with him because of the promise they had made. "He told me that he would not force marriage upon me. It will be my decision when I marry and with whom…" he trailed off, as if unsure of how had ended his sentence. "I also apologize to you, Mariah. I should not have forced my feelings onto you like I did in the forest. The promise we made in the forest, it was just out of pity, wasn't it? I am grateful that you wanted to help me out, but you have no obligation to stay with me, and I won't force you. You can decide to cancel the marriage and leave if you desire to and I shall let you go." He stopped and waited for her response. He wasn't sure how she was reacting to his words for she still buried herself under the covers. He waited for a fleeting moment before finally deciding that he had said what he needed to say and that it was enough. What happened next was for her to decide. "I'll go tell the maids to bring up some food," he said and began stepping towards the door.

The blankets flung open and a trembling voice shouted, "Wait a minute!"

Kai whipped around at the sound of her voice to see tears rolling down her cheeks. Her features were hard and her narrow eyes were slightly red. She was crying, but she wasn't sobbing. The tears that silently streamed out of the corner of her eyes were tears of anger. How could he say such heartless things to her? Wiping away the angry tears, she stepped out of bed and stood firmly on her two feet. "_Kai Hiwatari!_" she snapped furiously, her voice slightly quivering. "How _dare_ you? How could you say that? After all that's said and done, is that all I am to you? Was I just a _tool_ to you? To help you sort out your emotions?" The more she yelled at him, the more her tears spilled. She could not control them, even though she tried. She did not deny it to herself: she would be sad if she were not beside him. And it made her feel completely helpless to think about the words he had uttered to her.

For a moment, Kai stood dumbfounded as the words that bitterly flew from the girl's mouth sank into him. It came as a bit of a surprise for him, for he had never meant for it to sound the way as she had interpreted. It was a rare sight for him to see: the usually stubborn and headstrong girl, who never cried, not even when she was hurt or lost, was crying in front of him. He never knew that she would be this upset. As he stared at the pink-haired girl quietly rubbing her eyes, he couldn't help but feel relieved that she wanted to stay with him as much as he desired that she remain. He was guilty to admit that he was a little joyful that those tears that contained so much emotion were shed for his sake. It was because she cared for him, that's why she cried. And it was because he cared for her that he did not want to see her cry any longer because of his words. However, before he could open his mouth to clear the misunderstanding, she sniffed.

"What _'thank you'_? What _'apology'_? I don't want any of that. Can't you understand that I…" She could not finish what she was going to say because, the next thing she knew, strong arms had embraced her and she could feel herself being pressed against a warm chest with a masculine scent. Stunned, Mariah's tears stopped almost instantly. Her eyes were wide opened as her mind took in the scene and she suddenly became aware of the circumstances laid out before her. Soon, all she could was stand motionlessly in his arms and listen to the rhythm of his breathing.

Kai pressed her head against his chest and rested his head on top of hers, breathing in the smell of her hair. Sighing, he said, "Mariah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. When I asked you if you'd like to cancel the marriage, it was not because I did not care about you anymore or that I had simply used you like a tool. I just didn't want to make you feel as if you _had_ stay with me, as if I were _forcing_ you out of your free will. I needed to make sure it was really what you wanted, from the bottom of your heart."

Lifting her head, Mariah looked Kai in the eyes and said in a firm tone, "When I said that I loved you, it wasn't out of pity. I wouldn't say something like that in such a carefree way. _I really meant it._"

Kai smiled, "_As did I._ In all honesty, I did not want you to leave. So much, that I almost did not want to tell you that my grandfather had called off my marriage. Then you would be mine forever. But that would be unfair to you." He paused to observe her face, searching for signs that showed that she was understood what he was trying to say. The angry expression had dissolved. Reassured, he continued, "And I can not let you unknowingly make such a big decision like that. Now that my grandfather had cancelled the request, our promise no longer seemed valid. I would have felt as if I were lying to you if I did not tell you everything."

Silence befell them as soon as he had finished speaking. Mariah gazed at him intently. Her heart felt relieved that what she had originally thought was false, yet she felt embarrassed to have doubted him. She knew that probably deep down, there was a part of her that understood what he had meant from the beginning…she had simply chosen to believe otherwise. She did not know why she doubted him and she felt ashamed of the tears she had shed so bitterly in front of him. Perhaps it was a sign of how deeply she had truly fallen for him in this short time.

Now it was her turn to surprise him. Standing on tiptoe, she leaned forward and kissed him lightly. "The promise we made…I want to keep it…regardless of what your grandfather says. Please let me stay with you. This is my decision," she declared determinedly. There was no hint of wavering in her voice.

She had caught him off-guard, but her words brought a smile to his face. "Of course. I wouldn't have it any other way," he said in a mild and pleasant tone. A thought occurred to him and he paused to think. "But, now that it is not an order by my grandfather, we can start over and take things slowly from the beginning."

Mariah smiled and nodded. "I'd like that."

"Then…um…" Kai stuttered. He suddenly seemed embarrassed about something. "…would you go on a date with me?" he muttered, quickly and almost incoherently

Seeing his cheeks just a tiny bit flushed made Mariah chuckle. "What was that, Kai?" she asked innocently, even though she had heard him perfectly fine the first time.

Kai frowned. He'd seen that sly smile on her face before and it usually meant she was up to no good. Nevertheless, he repeated his question, speaking just as quickly, but this time in a louder voice.

Mariah laughed heartily and stepped away from him. She examined him for head to toe as if she were trying to decide upon a tough decision. "Hmm…" she murmured mischievously, "I'll think about it!"

She laughed and dashed off to the doorway. Her gait was still a bit crooked, but she felt a lot better, due to her lifted spirits. As she was heading towards the doorway, something caught the corner of her eye. Smiling mischievously, she stopped at the doorway and turned to face Kai. "Okay," she replied simply. "But, just because we're going out, doesn't mean that I still can't…" she trailed off and in one quick motion, she had leaned over to the trophy case, flung the door open, and snatched the blue beyblade, "…steal Dranzer!" she exclaimed, sticking out her tongue. With that, she turned on her heel and headed out the door.

"_Mariah!_ Give that back! I don't recall ever giving you permission to touch _MY_ Dranzer!" yelled Kai, chasing after her. He was smiling at this nostalgic feeling.

She turned her head to look over her shoulder and respond to Kai, "Well, this _WAS_ the reason why I promised to help you…all because you didn't want to lose your precious Dranzer. Now, I'm stuck in this mess because of this thing! Hmph, do you love Dranzer more than me?" she asked, sticking out her bottom of her lip to force a sad expression.

"No, duh, of course!" retorted Kai, rolling his eyes as if she had asked the question with the most obvious answer in the world.

It wasn't long before he caught her in his arms. Giggling, she playfully pounded his chest and demanded her release, to which he laughed and promptly denied, promising that never will he let go of her for he loved her. And though they were laughing it off now, the two of them would never forget the time they had spent together in that forest: from their unexpected encounter, to the dangers and circumstances they had faced. The unforeseen romance that neither one had thought would have ever been possible, was set by fate.

_--Owari--_

Final Notes: It's **DONE!** It's finally done! I can't believe it! It took me forever, I know TT I'm really, really sorry for making everyone wait for so long. To be completely honest, I've grown out of Beyblade...Sorry, but it just doesn't interest me anymore. But, I just had to finish this story, since I promised I would. I didn't want to leave my readers down. Hope you all enjoyed the ending!

My writing has changed...when I reread my old stuff, it seems so...not me (for lack of a better word) laughs Anyway, I want to thank everyone who've reviewed me. Your reviews are really very encouraging . Thanks to those who've stuck to this fic until the end (and sorry for putting up with my slowness XD bows) Lastly, thanks to all KaixMariah fans! I dedicate this fic to you!

Although I've pretty much given up on writing for Beyblade, it doesn't mean I will give up writing. I will still write, but I want to write original stories, with my own characters and plots. I shall post my stories under my account at so if you enjoy reading my works, please check them out when they are posted!

It's the end, but it's not over yet **I've still got one more surprise for all of you, so stay tuned!**

_-Lady Sapphire  
July 15, 2005_


	17. Sidestory: The Date

Unforeseen Romance  
Lady Sapphire

Introduction: Hi, everyone! Is anyone who was following and waiting for this still there? T.T I'm sure all of us have grown up and grown out of Beyblade by now (as I have), but to those who are just getting into it, welcome! I apologize for taking so long to finish up this story, but as always, school comes first! At least it's done now and I hope you guys enjoy this little bonus story for what it is: pure light-hearted fun.

The "surprise" I promised waaaaay back when I completed the final chapter of the main story is an extra side story I wrote just for fun. The idea for this side story originated from a reviewer who asked whether or not the other Beyblade characters were going to make an appearance. At that time, I hadn't planned to include the other characters, since I prefer focusing on one or two characters at a time to allow more room character development. But at the same time, I started thinking of a plot that would include the other characters (namely Ray, as you will see how his role factors in). And so this side chapter was materialized. It's not really a continuation, as this scene is extraneous to the story and I did not plan to include it from the start. But, it's there for those who would like to read more and see the other characters. This story is comedy, especially at the expense of Tyson (sorry, Tyson fans!). This scene takes place some time after the last chapter of _Unforeseen Romance_ and it _can_ be read separately, without reading the main story first. But of course, it would make much more sense to read from the beginning!

Dedication: To all the readers out there who stuck with me through the years. Thank you!

Disclaimers: I do not own Beyblade or its characters nor do I own any part of McDonalds. Also, I am not, in any way, endorsing McDonald's restaurants in this story.

Side Story: The Date

"A date! A date! Kai and Mariah are going on a date!" sang Tyson in a mocking singsong voice. Laughing loudly, he dashed forward ahead of the party, which consisted of an embarrassed looking Ray, Max, and Kenny, and the two aforementioned persons, who were, needless to say, very irritated.

"WHO. _THE HELL_. INVITED. _HIM_?!" seethed Kai through gritted teeth. Red-faced and fists clenched, one could almost see the smoke shooting from both ears. The other three uninvited members glanced anxiously from Kai to Mariah to Tyson, who had stopped to turn around and chant a verse of "Kai and Mariah, sitting in a tree." The couple looked as if they were ready to kill.

"Heh heh heh..." laughed Ray nervously, "Now, now, Kai, you know Tyson, he's just joking around. There's no need to take him seriously." He waved his hand to indicate that it was nothing to worry about, but in all reality, he could feel his own imminent doom approaching. After all, he was (supposedly) the only one who knew about the relationship between Kai and Mariah.

Mariah rounded on him, "Ray! How could you?!" she demanded, as she turned around, hands on hips, and faced him with a scowl. "I only told you about Kai because you're my best friend and we grew up together! I trusted you! Maybe it wouldn't be as bad if it were just Kenny and Max, but _Tyson_ of all people?!" The group had stopped walking by now, as Mariah continued to glare at Ray.

It started out as a fine morning: the skies were clear, the sun was shining, and it was neither too chilly nor too humid to be outdoors. Mariah had been staying at Kai's house for two weeks now, and even though they had agreed to stick with being a normal couple and go on dates and such, they had not had a single one as of yet. Thus, with that in mind, the two of them set off to have a perfect first date. However, as it may already seem apparent, this was not how it had turned out to be, for four unexpected as well as unwanted tagalongs had appeared out of nowhere and decided to join in on their special "date".

"Mariah, wait! Let me explain! I didn't mean to say it out loud, but it just slipped out!" said Ray, backing away slowly. If there was one thing he was afraid of, it would have to be an angry Mariah. "And besides, they would have found out eventually anyway, even if I hadn't told them. You can't hide it forever," he remarked, hoping it would get him off the hook.

Mariah blushed slightly as her frown loosened for a fraction of a second before returning back to its original state. "Yeah, well, did you have to tell _everyone_ about our date today too?! And did you all have to come along and ruin it?!"

"I swear, that _wasn't_ me! When you called me yesterday to tell me about it, the gang was at my house. I didn't know that Tyson had picked up the phone on the other end and was listening in on our conversation!" exclaimed Ray. "He then decided that he would come along, because he had nothing else better to do," he leaned in closer to her and placed his hand next to his mouth as if telling a secret, "the three of us came along to make sure that he' doesn't murder him..." he said in a softer voice, pointing his other thumb at Kai, who had not said a word throughout this whole exchange. He simply continued to glare and fume at the still oblivious Tyson of his impending doom, who was now making noisy kissing gestures in the air. Kai's clenched fist tightened and his knuckles became white.

"You might be right..." agreed Mariah, glancing at Kai. Even though she too was irked by Tyson's irritating banter, she had shown it by blatantly taking out her anger. Kai, however, worked a different way. She knew he must have been silently building up his anger, and knowing that he despised Tyson more than anyone else, she could not imagine the damage that would be done if her were to release his anger. Quickly, she acted. Looping her arm around his, she pulled him around the corner, saying, "Kai, let's go this way. There's a new bakery around here and I heard that their cakes are really good! I "

Kai jerked his arm away and began to stomp towards Tyson, bellowing as he did, "TYSON! WILL YOU JUST SHUT UP?!"

Tyson stopped chanting to turn and look at the furious Kai, who was now fast approaching him. Normally, this would indicate that he should run, but surprisingly, he stood still. Not only that he did not flee, there was also no look of fear on his face. Instead, he was smirking smugly.

"Go home, _RIGHT NOW_," growled Kai, grabbing the collar of Tyson's shirt and raising his fist, "Or else, I'll "

"_No, Kai!_" shouted the rest of the group, as he was about to lower his fist soundly in Tyson's face. At the same time, however, Tyson had whipped out something from his pocket and held it in front of himself like a barrier between himself and Kai.

Kai stopped his attack to glance at the object curiously. It was the back of an old photograph. What kind of photograph could it be for Tyson to depend his life on it this much?

"If you hurt me, then I won't give you _this_," said Tyson. He waved the photo back and forth as if testing to see if he had Kai's full attention. "I know you want this, don't you, Kai ol' buddy? It's a picture of Mariah when she was a baby! I nicked it off Ray when we were at his house."

Kai slightly raised an eyebrow. Mariah's jaw dropped and she froze for a moment in disbelief.

"What? When did he-" started a pale-faced Ray, but he was cut off when Mariah turned her face sharply and glared. Ray shrank a little. A puzzled look came over his face, as he started to protest, "Wait, Mariah, that isn't-"

But he did not get a chance to explain as Mariah was already stomping towards Tyson.

"TYSON!! GIVE ME THAT PICTURE!!" yelled Mariah. Tyson chuckled and dashed away, with Mariah right at his heels. "Get back here, you stupid moron!!"

"Mariah!" called out Ray, but she had already run away, "I didn't even bring my old photo albums from China here..." he trailed off quietly.

Everyone who was still there turned to stare at him. And then, at each other. Suddenly, Max and Kenny burst out laughing.

"Oh man, Tyson's going to be in such deep trouble when Mariah finds out that it's fake!" said Max, "We better follow them and make sure that _she_ doesn't kill _him_!"

"Funny how we came here trying to make sure Kai doesn't hurt anyone," mused Kenny, as the two of them began jogging towards the direction that Tyson and Mariah had darted for.

Kai, who had a slight look of disappointment on his face, turned away from Ray, hoping that he hadn't noticed, and continued to walk in the direction they were originally headed.

Ray was still slightly puzzled at how all the blame ended up on his shoulders when everything was initiated by Tyson. He frowned at the unfairness of the whole situation and then shrugged it off. He'd set that aside for now, since there was another matter on his mind. He hurried after Kai.

"Kai, can I talk to you for a moment?" he called out to his back.

Kai stopped and turned to face his friend curiously. Ray, probably the most mature and understanding member of their team What could he possibly say to him? "Hmm?" he replied, his interest piqued.

Ray caught up to him and stuck out his hand. "I want to...personally congratulate you and Mariah and wish you happiness," he said and Kai shook it instinctively.

They walked on slowly, side by side and Ray continued, "Mariah has always been like a sister to me and we grew up depending and protecting each other." He paused to sigh, "Truthfully, I'm a bit worried about her. She has never been in a relationship before and she knows nothing about this kind of stuff." He glared directly into Kai's eyes, seeking for any trace of malice, "I have to know... Are you _really_ serious about this relationship? You better not just be playing around with her for your own amusement," he warned in a grave tone, "If that is the case, then I would have no choice but to intervene."

Surprised by this sudden question, Kai raised his eyebrows and looked questioningly at his inquirer. To have someone worry about you and look out for you...Mariah was very lucky to have someone like Ray. That's what Kai thought, and for a brief moment, he envied her for having such a kind 'brother.' With a severe expression, he replied, "You have my word that these are my true feelings. I would never 'play' around like this. That would be a disgrace to all of mankind." The corners of his mouth twitched into a frown at his last statement.

Ray smiled to hear that his old friend had not completely changed. He gave his friend a light pat on the back and said, "I've known you for a long time, so I will entrust her to you."

"But I want you to promise," he added quickly, "that you will never take advantage of her, that you will always take care of and protect her, and never hurt her," said Ray sternly.

Kai could tell that he was dead serious. His eyes were piercing into him as if trying to find an ounce of dishonesty. Matching the same seriousness and with absolutely no sign of faltering in spirit or voice, he replied, "I swear it."

Letting out a small chuckle, Ray gave Kai a friendly punch on the back. "That's what I expected from you, Kai!" he said, "But remember, if you ever make her cry, I swear that I won't let you off easily."

Kai nodded. Immediately following, Mariah appeared in their view, running towards them, waving her arms and calling out, "Hey guys!"

"That picture... it was a fake!" she said, trying to catch her breath. She bent forward and clasped her knees and breathed heavily. "I will KILL Tyson... he made me chase him all around town for a picture of himself!"

Kai and Ray looked at each other and then at Mariah. Suddenly, the two of them exploded into laughter, unable to control themselves.

"What?!" demanded Mariah, hands on her hips. "It's not funny, you know!"

"I'm sorry..." blurted out Ray when his laughter had died down a bit. "I tried to tell you as you ran off, but I left my old photo albums back home. There's no way he could have access to your baby photos."

Mariah stared at him blankly. In an instant, her expression changed into a glare. "Ray!! Why didn't you say so earlier?!" she cried and started hitting him rapidly.

Ray smiled as he raised his hands to block her attack while Kai laughed heartily at the spectacle, amused by her irritation of Ray.

Growling, Mariah turned sharply on Kai and glared deviously. "By the way, did you know that Tyson also snagged your wallet and is currently maxing out your credit cards on food?" she asked in a singsong voice.

Kai's laughter died in an instant as he stared, stone-faced at Mariah, hoping that at any moment, she would laugh and blurt out, "Just joking!"

But all Mariah did was cross her arms over her chest and smile smugly.

"... No way...you can't be serious..." whispered Kai, feeling around his jean pockets for his wallet. It was no where to be found. "Damn it, when did that little...!" cursed Kai and bolted in the direction Tyson had taken off earlier. "I'll REALLY kill him this time!!"

Mariah laughed gleefully. "Ha! That's for expecting to see my baby photos!"

"Mariah, does Tyson _really_ have Kai's credit cards?" asked Ray sternly.

"Of course, why would I lie?" Mariah replied rhetorically. "He's at McDonalds' right now pigging out on about a dozen burgers."

"You should have told him that."

"Don't worry, Kai will find them sooner or later," assured Mariah nonchalantly, "Besides this is my revenge for him being hopeful for my baby pictures."

Ray shook his head in disbelief, but he was glad to know that Mariah hadn't changed at all. She was still the same as when they were young: petty over the littlest things.

"In any case, I'm sorry I doubted you, Ray," Mariah apologized.

"That's all right. It was my fault that they overheard our conversation and ruined your date," replied Ray.

The two continued to walk slowly towards the fast food restaurant where Tyson and the others were currently feasting at Kai's expense and where Kai will eventually appear to destroy him. A drawn out silence seemed to befall them as only the sounds of the city could be heard and the soft rhythm of their footsteps.

"So..." said Ray finally, breaking the silence, "Are you going back to tell the Lee and the others?"

"I will...eventually," she replied.

"Does that mean you're quitting the White Tigers?"

Mariah looked shocked. Is that what he was thinking? "No, of course not! Why would you think that?!" she demanded.

"Well... because now that you're with Kai... I thought..."

"No way! What does that have anything to do with Beyblading? I love Beyblading, and I love the White Tigers! Nothing can make me change my mind about that. I will always be a part of the team," explained Mariah.

"But at tournaments, surely the White Tigers will meet the Bladebreakers in the arena once again some day...and what if you were set to battle against Kai?"

"Then I'll kick his butt!" said Mariah determinedly, laughing with triumph. "The White Tigers will definitely win next time!"

Ray laughed too, glad that she really hadn't changed at all. She was still as strong-willed and competitive as ever.

"But seriously Ray," said Mariah, turning to him, "What made you think that I would ever give up blading? You know me better than that."

"Well... it's just that I was worried about you. If the day ever comes when our teams meet again in battle, I don't want you to face the dilemma of choosing sides. That's just too painful," Ray replied quietly. He remembered how much it had hurt when he finally met his old team mates again after so long, only to be called a 'traitor.'

Golden eyes looked up at Ray gently. "Is that what''s bothering you, Ray?"

"As long as you are sure about what you want, then it's fine. I just want you to be happy," said Ray, sighing deeply.

Mariah smiled warmly. "Thank you, Ray. Hearing that from you makes me really happy. Even if Lee and the others were against my relationship with Kai, I wouldn't have minded as long as I had your support," she said softly. "Even if the whole world was against me, it wouldn't matter as long as you were by my side."

"Of course, I will support you!" said Ray quickly, "You can always count on me so come to me whenever you have a problem."

Tears welled up in Mariah's eyes and she brushed them away. Hugging Ray, she whispered, "Thank you for always being there. Even though we're not related by blood, you are more than I could ever ask for in a brother."

Ray smiled and stroked her silky hair. Her small frame felt warm in her arms and it made him feel good to know that she depended on him so much. He had been afraid that she no longer needed him now that she had Kai, but her reaction just now reminded him of how much he cared for her. He had promised himself that no matter the circumstances, he would be the first one to protect her.

"What are you talking about? It doesn't matter if were not related! To me, you are as precious as family," explained Ray kindly, "And if Kai ever hurts you, remember to come to me. I'll make sure he pays dearly." His tone had transformed into a menacing one.

Mariah pulled herself away from Ray and took a good look at his serious face. She burst out laughing, "Oh, don't worry about that. Should that day ever come, there would be nothing left after I'M through with him."

At that moment, Kai, who had discovered the location of the thief and his missing wallet and was dashing madly towards the destination, stopped dead in his tracks. A mysterious cold chill had run down his spine. Not knowing the reason for it, he shrugged it off and continued to run towards the fast food restaurant. He had more important things to worry about: like how to slowly and painfully kill Tyson, for example.

"Come on, we should catch up with the others. I know where they went," said Mariah, chuckling.

Upon approaching the McDonald's, they could clearly see Kai in full pursuit of the chubby, red-capped boy in the parking lot.

"TYSON, GIVE ME BACK MY WALLET, YOU THIEF!" yelled Kai.

"Help!" was the muffled cry from Tyson's stuffed mouth. He hadn't found the time to swallow the burger he was eating when Kai burst into the restaurant and threatened to strangle him. Surprised, he darted for the back door and ended up in a chase around the parking lot, with Kai at his heels.

Then, relief poured over him as he spotted Mariah and Ray approaching. He ran straight for them and jumped behind the pair, using them as a shield.

Swallowing, he gasped, "Save me! He's going to kill me!"

"You should have thought about that _before_ you thought of taking his wallet," reprimanded Mariah, stepping aside for Kai to get a good grasp on his target.

"That's because this idiot _doesn't_ think!" grumbled Kai, lunging towards Tyson, who shrieked in terror and jumped behind Ray.

"Ray, protect me, please!" pleaded Tyson, holding on to Ray's shoulders to prevent him from moving away.

Ray sighed and rolled his eyes. "Come on, Kai, it's okay to share a little. Besides it's only a burger, how much could it have cost?" he reasoned, but Kai only glared at him.

"HE SPENT OVER 200 ON JUNK FOOD!" yelled Kai, "How is that '_only a burger_'? That pig ate enough to feed a whole country!"

Ray turned to look at Tyson inquiringly, hoping that he would deny Kai's accusations, but all he received was a sheepish look of guilt.

"Tyson, you idiot, you should know better than to take other people's things and using them without permission," scolded Ray.

"But...but, even if I asked, Kai wouldn't have bought me food..." mumbled Tyson.

"That still doesn't make it right to steal. Besides, you were being a pain. No one would treat an annoying person lunch."

Max and Kenny, who had lost track of Tyson when they were following him, appeared at the corner and ran towards the group, breathing loudly.

"Kai... We're sorry... We couldn't stop Tyson from spending your money..." huffed Kenny.

"By the time we found out that Tyson had your wallet, he had already run ahead..." added Max.

Ray sighed. "It's okay, you guys, it's not your fault." Turning to Tyson, he commanded, "Give Kai's wallet back to him."

Pouting, Tyson obeyed and handed the wallet back to Kai, who snatched it resentfully to check the damage done. As expected, all the cash that had been in there was gone. He glared at Tyson once again.

"S-sorry Kai, I couldn't help myself! I'll make it up to you, I promise!" pleaded Tyson, hands clasped and down on his knees.

Kai said nothing and merely started walking towards the direction of the McDonalds.

Tyson, alarmed at Kai's reaction, continued to persuade him that he regretted his actions. "Please, Kai! I'm sorry for ruining your date today... I won't do it again, I promise!"

Kai gave no reply and continued walking. Mariah, who was just as puzzled as the others, timidly spoke up. "Kai...?"

Kai stopped and the rest of the gang held their breaths in anticipation, bracing themselves for the worse. He turned his head to the side and said softly, "Well? Are you just going to stand there? It's not everyday that I'm going to forgive you. Just this once, on Ray's behalf, I'm going to treat all of you to lunch."

The stoned faces of the rest of the Bladebreakers stared incredulously at Kai. The first one to recover from shock was Tyson, who's mouth slowly spread across his face into a wide, foolish grin. "Woohoo!!" he cheered, "Thanks Kai, you're the greatest!" With a leap in the air, he quickly dashed past Kai and towards the restaurant, shouting over his back, "Last one there's a rotten egg!"

"Hold on, Tyson, how can you STILL eat after eating so many hamburgers?!" yelled Ray, chasing after him. "Just what is his stomach made of?" he asked to no one in particular.

Kenny chuckled, "It would not be illogical if he suddenly told us that he wasn't human."

"Tell them I want extra mustard on my burger," called Max with a grin, as the three of them entered the building after Tyson.

Mariah was still looking at Kai in disbelief. "I can't believe you just did that! Kai, being nice and generous to _TYSON_?! Now I've seen everything!" she said with a mocking laugh.

Kai shrugged, "I felt like it."

"And even after he totally ruined our date too!"

"I'm used to Tyson's idiocy already."

"And they found out about us!"

"They would have eventually found out anyway. Now we don't have to think about how we should tell them."

Mariah agreed and breathed a sigh of relief. One good thing that came out of today for her was that she got to talk to Ray and they were able to relieve some anxiety off each other's chest. Ray, the gentle and strong big brother figure whom she had always admired as a child, had whole-heartedly given her his support. That meant so much more to her than Ray would ever know. She was smiling contently at the remembrance of the conversation she had with him, when another thought struck her. When she came back from chasing Tyson, Kai and Ray were talking to each other quietly. She had a strange feeling that the subject of their discussion might have been none other than herself. Failing to hold back her curiosity, she asked innocently, "Say Kai, what were you and Ray talking about earlier today?"

Kai raised his eyebrows slightly. He had thought that she hadn't noticed! Yet, this was one of the things he liked about her: the sharpness of a cat. Kai knew that she would press on to know more if he told her the truth and that she would be peeved if he did not.

"Nothing," he told her indifferently.

"_Nothing?!_ How could that be nothing?!" she demanded, frowning.

"It's not important. All that you need to know is that it was a private conversation between two men who respect each other. There is nothing you need to worry about."

"B-but but..." stammered Mariah, but she was cut off as Kai suddenly embraced her, resting his chin on her shoulder. Surprised, Mariah forgot her suspicions and only raised her arms to hug him back.

Kai smiled secretly at the success of his plan. Softly into her ear, he spoke, "I'm sorry today didn't go exactly as planned."

Mariah blushed as his breath brushed past by her ears. With her eyes closed and a soft smile, she replied, "No, it wasn't your fault. If anyone's to blame, it's me for calling Ray."

"In a way, it's a good thing you did. Besides, there will be plenty of opportunities to go out on dates."

"Yeah."

The two stood in embrace, captured in time, as the rays of the setting sun illuminated over them. They broke apart after a few minutes and slowly walked hand in hand towards the restaurant where the others were likely to be eating a hole in Kai's credit card. But, in spite of everything, they felt content with the outcome of today's events. They were happy to know they had such good friends who supported them. And most of all, they were certain that today would only be the start of many more happy days to come.

_**--THE END--**_

Final Comments: Well, it's been several years but it's finally finished. I believe my writing style has changed a lot since then. laughs I am ashamed to reread this from beginning to end, as well as some of my older works. As I said before, this was just a bit of pure fun and I hope you've all enjoyed reading this as I had fun writing it! Did I bite off more than I could chew heading down the comedy route? XD But if I made you laugh, even a little, then I have accomplished my goal :D

Since Ray is my all-time favourite character (with Kai at a close second), I really wanted to include him in this story. The norm for non-yaoi pairings is Ray and Mariah. Since I deviated from this norm in this fanfic, I wanted to portray Ray's thoughts and feelings about the KaixMariah pairing. I've always admired Ray's maturity and big-brother like status to Mariah, as well as the Bladebreakers. Thus, I drew on this quality of his to give him a guardian-like status. But that isn't to say that I'm not a fan of the RayxMariah pairing as well! I just wanted to write something that was uncommon at the time I started, and expand the possibilities a bit. It is more interesting and fun to develop an unlikely relationship than to build on one that has been established and predictable in its outcome. I think this pairing is not as rare now than when I started a few years ago. But I have two RayxMariah oneshots if anyone is a fan of that coupling. (Mind you, they are also really old and seemingly outdated XD)

I thank everyone who has stuck with me all the way and supported my efforts, even though I often left you guys waiting with long gaps of no updates... Thank you to all the reviewers who took the time to comment on my work. Reviews are probably the greatest encouragement of all to any writer, as it shows that time has been spent reading what the writer has written, so I hope everyone will continue to read and review.

Just a ittle side note about Beyblade I want to mention: The other day, my brother was randomly surfing the net and he came across the Beyblade manga, which has a definite end to the story. Was I surprised! Not that I didn't already expect this kind of ending, but the fact that it _ends_, and to see something I watched in my younger days come to a resolution gave me a nostalgic and satisfied feeling. The characters have grown up and matured as have I, so you really do feel a sense of time passing. It's a weird feeling. I won't spoil for you, unless you want me to, which in that case, send me an email. Now, I know my fanfiction is purely _fan_fiction as the events of this story shall never come to pass! _(laughs)_ Oh well, that's the point of fanfics, isn't it? -- To let your imagination continue the story without knowing how it actually ends.

I will continue to keep writing, but not in the Beyblade fandom. I will concentrate on original pieces and perhaps in fandoms elsewhere. I hope you will continue to support me!


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